JP2008030302A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which supports a platen roller at a predetermined position of a frame by bringing it into contact with roller shafts of the platen roller and regulating the upper positions, and which can make good contact with a thermal head arranged opposed to the platen roller. <P>SOLUTION: The printer includes the frame 1 which has upper opening grooves 6a and 6b formed in a pair of opposed side plates 4a and 4b to support the platen roller 9; and a pair of lock levers 10a and 10b which are made to freely rotate by rotation fulcrums 13a and 13b formed in the pair of side plates 4a and 4b of the frame 1, and which normally regulate positions of the open side of the roller shafts 9a and 9b supported in the upper opening grooves while faced to the inside of the upper opening grooves 6a and 6b. Sides which regulate the open side positions in the upper opening grooves 6a and 6b through contact with the roller shafts 9a and 9b of the lock levers are formed in a circular arc shape centering the rotation fulcrums 13a and 13b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly to a printer characterized by a mechanism that supports a detachable platen so that a print head can be pressed.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printers having a configuration in which a platen roller is detachable and a recording paper is installed for convenience are used.

  For example, in the printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-188787 (Patent Document 1), the platen roller has a roller shaft, and the roller shaft is formed on a pair of left and right side plates of the frame and the upper part is opened. It is held in a U-shaped groove (hereinafter referred to as an upper open groove). The roller shaft is regulated in the left and right and lower positions by the upper opening groove, and the upper position is regulated by the notches of the lock levers disposed on both side plates of the frame. Yes.

  The lock lever is a lever member that is formed with a U-shaped notch capable of accommodating the roller shaft, and is disposed so as to be rotatable around a rotation fulcrum with respect to the frame. The spring is always biased toward the thermal head side. Therefore, the upper side of the U-shaped notch of the lock lever is in contact with the roller shaft held in the upper opening groove at all times, and the roller shaft is regulated in the upper opening groove in a rotatable state. To do. Further, when removing and attaching the platen roller, the lock lever is rotated to the anti-thermal head side to release the contact with the roller shaft and to open the upper opening groove.

JP 2004-188787 A

  By the way, when each member such as the frame and the lock lever is formed by pressing a thin metal plate such as aluminum, one of the side plates is caused by a dimensional accuracy failure of each member or a twist generated in each member. The lock lever disposed on the roller abuts against the roller shaft and restricts the roller shaft in the U-shaped groove in a rotatable state, but the lock lever disposed on the other side plate is the roller shaft. There is a problem that the platen roller cannot be supported on the frame in a stable state and cannot be rotatably supported.

  Therefore, in the present invention, the lock lever abuts the roller shaft of the platen roller in the upper open groove formed in the frame and regulates the position above the platen roller, thereby supporting the platen roller at a predetermined position of the frame. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer that can make good contact with a thermal head disposed opposite to a platen roller.

  The printer of the present invention that achieves the above-described object is characterized in that a print head, a platen roller that is press-contactable with the print head, has a roller shaft, and a motor that can rotationally drive the platen roller, The upper plate is pivotable by a frame in which an upper opening groove for supporting the platen roller is formed on a side plate and a pivotal fulcrum formed in a pair of side plates of the frame. A printer having a pair of lock levers for regulating a position of an open side of a roller shaft supported in the open groove, the open side in the upper open groove contacting the roller shaft of the lock lever The side that regulates the position is in the shape of an arc centered on the rotation fulcrum.

  By forming in this way, even when the printer is assembled, even if the members such as the frame and the lock lever constituting the printer are kinked, the side plate on which the upper open groove is formed can be rotated. The arranged lock lever can securely contact the side formed in an arc shape with the roller shaft, regulates the position above the roller shaft in the upper opening groove of the frame, and moves the platen roller to the frame shaft. It can be supported at a predetermined position.

  Another feature of the printer of the present invention is that the lock lever is formed with a notch that can be engaged with the roller shaft, and a side that contacts the roller shaft is a side that constitutes the notch. This is the point.

  By making the roller shaft engage with the notch formed in the lock lever, the platen roller can be more reliably supported in the groove.

  Furthermore, another feature of the printer of the present invention is that the pair of lock levers are integrally formed by being connected by a connecting member. The pair of lock levers integrally formed by the connecting members in this way is excellent in operability because the lock levers rotate together even when rotating around the rotation fulcrum formed on the side plate. .

  According to the printer of the present invention, the edge of the lock lever formed in the arc shape in the upper open groove formed in the frame surely catches the roller shaft of the platen roller in a larger area than before, and the position above it By limiting the platen, it is possible to support the platen roller at a predetermined position of the frame and to make good contact with the print head disposed facing the platen roller.

  The printer of this embodiment is made of a resin material, supplies power to a paper feed port for feeding recording paper, a paper discharge port for paper discharge, a motor and a control board described later, and inputs print data. And a printer case (not shown) in which an opening for explaining a wiring board on which terminals are formed is described.

  The printer case mainly supports a platen roller, a lock lever member, a head mounting member, a thermal head as an example of a print head, a speed reduction mechanism, and the head mounting member movably. A frame that rotatably supports the roller shaft of the platen roller and a motor having a drive shaft that rotationally drives the platen roller via the speed reduction mechanism are disposed.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the arrangement of each member with respect to the frame of the printer of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the assembled state.

  The frame 1 disposed in the printer case has a bottom plate 3 having a rectangular opening 2 formed in the center, and a pair of side plates 4a and 4b facing each other are formed on the left and right sides of the bottom plate 3 in the figure. ing. U-shaped notch portions (hereinafter referred to as U-shaped notch portions) 5a and 5b are formed at substantially the center of the upper end sides of the pair of side plates 4a and 4b, respectively. Next to the notches 5a and 5b, U-shaped grooves (hereinafter referred to as upper open grooves) 6a and 6b that open the top are formed. Further, below the U-shaped notches 6a and 6b of the pair of side plates 4a and 4b, a shaft on which a rotation shaft capable of rotating a lock lever member and a head mounting member, which will be described in detail later, is supported. Holes 7a and 7b are formed.

  The upper open grooves 6a and 6b accommodate the roller shafts 9a and 9b of the platen roller 9 having roller shafts 9a and 9b disposed concentrically at both ends of the roller body 9c, respectively. Is pivotally supported between the side plates 4a and 4b.

  In the printer according to the present embodiment, a pair of lock levers 10a for preventing the roller shafts 9a and 9b supported by the upper opening grooves 6a and 6b from coming off inside the pair of side plates 4a and 4b of the frame 1. 10b are connected by a plate-like connecting member 10c, and an integrated lock lever member 10 is provided.

  In the present embodiment, each of the lock levers 10a and 10b is a flat plate-shaped thin plate member, and the lower side of the base portion 11 that is the rear end side from the refracting portion at the center in the longitudinal direction extends along the bottom plate 3. The extended portion 12 on the distal end side with respect to the refracting portion is disposed on the distal end side on the lower side of the base portion 11 so as to extend in the direction of the upper open groove 6. Further, they are connected by the connecting member 10c. The lock lever member 10 can be formed, for example, by pressing a single metal plate.

  Also, shaft holes 13a and 13b that serve as pivotal fulcrums of the lock levers 10a and 10b are formed in the vicinity of the refracting parts of the lock levers 10a and 10b and in the substantially central part of the base 11, respectively. The lock lever member 10 is bent when the connecting member 10c is positioned in the opening 2 formed in the bottom plate 3 of the frame 1 and the extending portion 12 extends in the direction of the upper open groove 6. The shaft holes 13 a and 13 b formed in the vicinity of the portion are aligned with the shaft holes 7 a and 7 b formed in the side plates 4 a and 4 b of the frame 1, and are rotatably supported by the rotation shaft 14.

  The upper sides of the extending portions 12a and 12b of the lock levers 10a and 10b are substantially U-shaped to engage the roller shafts 9a and 9b of the platen roller 9 pivotally supported by the upper opening grooves 6a and 6b. Notches 15a and 15b are formed. The notches 15a and 15b are formed so that the tip side end faces the upper open grooves 6a and 6b so as to contact the roller shafts 9a and 9b. In this embodiment, the roller shaft 9a 9b, the side portions of the notches 15a and 15b that regulate the position of the open side in the upper open grooves 6a and 6b are centered on the shaft holes 13a and 13b that serve as the pivots of the lock levers 10a and 10b It is formed in an arc shape.

  Further, a gripping portion 16 that protrudes outward of the frame 1 in the extending direction of the connecting member 10a is formed at the distal end portion of the extending portion 12a of one lock lever 10a.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a piece-like portion (hereinafter referred to as a lower piece-like portion) 17 is formed on the rear end side of the lower side of the base portion 11b of the other lock lever 10b. This piece-like portion 17 protrudes inward of the frame 1 from the base portion 11 b, and a tip side portion thereof bends a part of the edge of the bottom plate 3 constituting the opening 2 toward the inside of the frame 1. It is made to contact | abut to the rotation assistance part 3a inclined by this. A convex fitting portion (lower fitting portion) 17 a for fitting one end of a coil spring 18 described later is formed on the upper surface of the lower piece portion 17.

  A cut line 19 is formed on the side of the U-shaped notch that is opposite to the upper open groove 6b of one side plate 4b of the frame 1 from the upper side toward the bottom wall. The line 19 is used to be bent inward of the frame 1 so that the region between the cut line 19 and the nearest edge of the side plate 4a is opposed to the lower piece 17a at the lower end portion of the cut line 19 Thus, the upper piece 20 is formed. And the convex upper fitting part 20a which fits the other end of the said coil spring 18 is formed also in the lower surface of the said upper piece part 20, and the said upper fitting part 20a and the lower fitting part 17a are formed. As shown in FIG. 4, the notches 15a and 15b of the pair of lock levers 10a and 10b are always provided in the upper open grooves 6a and 6b with the shaft holes 13a and 13b as pivotal fulcrums. One coil spring 18 is provided to apply tension so as to rotate in the direction of closing the opening. A platen detection sensor 21 is fixed to the upper surface of the upper piece 20 by a screw 22 so that the roller shaft 9b of the platen roller 9 can be detected.

  In the U-shaped notches 5a and 5b, slide shafts 26a and 26b of a head mounting plate 26 for supporting a thermal head 25 formed by arranging a plurality of heating elements 24 in the longitudinal direction are slidable. The heating element 24 is disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the roller main body 9c of the platen roller 9 so as to be capable of being in pressure contact therewith.

  Specifically, the head mounting plate 26 is a plate-like member extending in the arrangement direction of the heating elements 24 of the thermal head 25, and the thermal head 25 is arranged on the front side via a double-sided adhesive seal material (not shown). A spring retainer plate 27 is disposed on the back side. The thermal head 25 is connected to a flexible wiring board 28 for connection to a drive control unit (not shown) and a power source.

  Then, below the side plates 30a and 30b of the head mounting plate 26, shaft holes 31a and 31b are formed, on which pivot shafts for rotating the head mounting plate 26 are pivoted. 26 is aligned with the shaft holes 31 a and 31 b, the shaft holes 7 a and 7 b formed in the side plates 4 a and 4 b of the frame 1, and the shaft holes 13 a and 13 b of the lock lever member 10. A shaft 14 is pivotally supported inside the lock lever member 10 so as to be rotatable.

  Two convex head-side fitting portions 27c and 27c for fitting one ends of two coil springs 32 and 32, which will be described later, are formed on the back side of the spring pressing plate 27. Further, the end plate 4c of the frame 1 formed to face the back surface of the spring pressing plate 27 has two convex wall-side fitting portions 4d and 4d for fitting the other end of the coil spring 32. The thermal head is attached by using the rotation shaft 14 that is always supported by the shaft holes 31a and 31b between the head side fitting portions 27c and 27c and the wall side fitting portions 4d and 4d. Two coil springs 32 and 32 are provided for applying tension so as to rotate the plate 26 upward to the platen roller 9 side. By means of the coil springs 32, the head mounting plate 26 is urged toward the platen roller 9, so that each heating element 24 of the thermal head 25 can be pressed against the platen roller 9. At that time, the slide shafts 26a and 26b slide in the U-shaped notches 5a and 5b, respectively.

  Further, a motor 34 provided with a drive shaft 34a for rotationally driving the platen roller 9 on the side plate 4a opposite to the upper opening groove 6a of the U-shaped notch 5a is connected to the side plate 4a. It is fixed by screws 36 so as to protrude from the opening 35 formed in 4a to the outside of the frame 1. A drive gear 37 is attached to the drive shaft 34 a of the motor 34, and an intermediate gear group 38 as a reduction mechanism is engaged with the drive gear 37. A platen gear 39 attached to the roller shaft 23 of the platen roller 22 is engaged with the intermediate gear group 38. When the motor 26 is rotationally driven, this rotation is transmitted to the platen gear 39 via the drive gear 37 and the intermediate gear group 38, so that the platen roller 9 is rotated.

  The thermal head 25 and the platen roller 9 can print images such as characters on a recording sheet (not shown) conveyed between the press-contacted state.

  In the printer configured as described above, for example, when the platen roller 9 is detached from the printer when setting recording paper or the like, the grip portion 16 disposed in the lock lever member 10 is gripped, and the shaft hole The lock levers 10a and 10b are rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 4 by using the rotation fulcrum composed of 13a and 13b.

  At this time, in the present embodiment, the pair of lock levers 10a and 10b are integrally formed via the connecting portion 10c, so that the lock levers 10a and 10b are integrated and tension is applied. The coil spring 18 is rotated while resisting the repulsive force of the coil spring 18 so as to further press the arranged coil spring 18. As for the pressing of the coil spring 18, the tip side portion of the lower piece 17 of the lock lever 10a, 10b is brought into contact with the rotation assisting portion 3a of the bottom plate 3, and the contact portion is used as an insulator. This is used as a fulcrum of the principle of the above, and assists the rotation of the lock lever member 10 and the pressing of the coil spring 18.

  Then, the engagement of the notches 15a and 15b of the lock lever 10 with the roller shafts 9a and 9b is released, and the upper opening grooves 6a and 6b are opened above the roller shafts 9a and 9b, so that the platen roller 9 is moved to the printer. Remove from the frame.

  After the platen roller 9 is removed, the lock lever member 10 is again rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 4 by the urging force of the coil spring 18, and the end portions on the front end side of the notches 15a and 15b are moved. It is located in the upper open grooves 6a and 6b.

  Further, when the platen roller 9 is attached to the printer, the front end side end portions of the notches 15a and 15b are connected to the front end side end portions of the lock lever 10 that faces the upper open grooves 6a and 6b. The tip side portion of the upper side of the extending portions 12a and 12b is used as a guide side for guiding the roller shafts 9a and 9b into the notches 15a and 15b. That is, the roller shafts 9a and 9b are brought into contact with the tip side portions on the upper sides of the extending portions 12a and 12b, and are slid and pushed in the depth direction of the upper open grooves 6a and 6b. At that time, when the roller shafts 9a and 9b slide in the depth direction of the upper open grooves 6a and 6b, the lock levers 10a and 10b further press the coil spring 18 disposed in a tensioned state. Then, while resisting the repulsive force of the coil spring 18, it rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 4 around the rotation fulcrum formed by the shaft holes 13a, 13b, and opens the upper open grooves 6a, 6b. The roller shafts 9a and 9b are accommodated in the notches 15a and 15b, and are supported in the upper open grooves 6a and 6b.

  Of course, the gripping portion 16 disposed on the lock lever member 10 is gripped, and the lock levers 10a and 10b are rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 4 around the rotation fulcrum formed by the shaft holes 13a and 13b. With the tip portions of the notches 15a and 15b of the lock levers 10a and 10b retracted from the upper opening grooves 6a and 6b and opened upward, the roller shafts 9a and 9b are moved into the upper opening portions 6a and 6b and You may make it accommodate in the said notches 15a and 15b.

  At this time, in this embodiment, the side that contacts the roller shafts 9a, 9b of the notches 15a, 15b and regulates the position of the open side in the upper open grooves 6a, 6b serves as the rotation fulcrum. Since it is formed in an arc shape centering on the shaft holes 13a and 13b, it is possible to ensure contact with the outer periphery of the roller shafts 9a and 9b by an arc-shaped line.

  That is, it is possible to secure a larger contact area than when the linear sides of the lock levers 10a and 10b make point contact with the roller shafts 9a and 9b, and in the upper open grooves 6a and 6b of the roller shafts 9a and 9b. The upper position can be reliably regulated, and the platen roller 9 can be pivotally supported.

  Therefore, even if the members such as the frame 1 constituting the printer and the integrally formed lock lever member 10 are kinked, the lock levers 10a and 10b are configured so that the sides formed in the arc shape are roller shafts. 9a and 9b can be reliably brought into contact with each other, and the upper positions of the roller shafts 9a and 9b in the upper opening grooves 6a and 6b of the frame 1 are regulated, and the platen roller 9 is supported at a predetermined position of the frame 1. Is possible.

  Further, in the printer of the present embodiment, the roller shafts 9a and 9b are engaged with the notches 15 formed in the lock levers 10a and 10b, so that the platen roller 9 is more reliably inserted into the groove. Can be supported.

  Further, in the printer of this embodiment, the pair of lock levers 10a, 10b are integrally formed by being connected by the connecting member 10c, so that the lock levers 10a, 10b are centered on the rotation fulcrum formed on the side plate. Therefore, it can be rotated as one body and is excellent in operability.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A various change is possible as needed.

  For example, the shape of the portion of the lock lever that engages with the roller shaft does not necessarily have to be a notch.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part structure of a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which shows the assembly state of the printer of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the principal part structure in the state in the middle of the assembly of the printer of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the principal part structure in the assembly state (FIG. 2) of the printer of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Frame 2 Opening part 3 Bottom plate 4a, 4b Side plate 4c End plate 5a, 5b U-shaped notch 6a, 6b Upper open groove 7a, 7b Shaft hole 9 Platen roller 9a, 9b Roller shaft 9c Roller body 10 Lock lever member 10a DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10b Lock lever 10c Connecting member 11 Base 12 Extension part 13 Shaft hole 14 Rotating shaft 15 Notch part 16 Grasping part 17 Lower piece part 17a Lower fitting part 18 Coil spring 19 Cut line 20 Upper piece part 20a Upper fitting portion 21 Platen detection sensor 22 Screw 24 Heating element 25 Thermal head 26 Head mounting plate 26a, 26b Slide shaft 27 Wiring substrate 28 Flexible wiring substrate 30a, 30b Side plate 31a, 31b Shaft hole 32 Coil spring 34 Motor 34a Drive shaft 35 Opening 36 Screw 37 Drive gear 38 Intermediate gear group 9 platen gear

Claims (3)

The print head, the print head can be pressed against each other, a platen roller having a roller shaft, a motor capable of rotationally driving the platen roller, and an upper open groove for supporting the platen roller are formed on a pair of opposing side plates. A position on the open side of the roller shaft that is rotatable by a frame and a rotation fulcrum formed on a pair of side plates of the frame, and always faces the upper open groove and is supported in the upper open groove. A pair of lock levers for restricting the position of the lock lever, wherein the side of the lock lever that abuts the roller shaft and restricts the position of the open side in the upper open groove is centered on the rotation fulcrum A printer characterized by being formed in an arc shape. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the lock lever is formed with a notch that can be engaged with the roller shaft, and a side that contacts the roller shaft is one side that constitutes the notch. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the pair of lock levers are integrally formed by being connected by a connecting member.

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