JP2008100530A - Paper cutter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a paper cutter which can be installed in combination with a printer and can quickly recover paper jamming between a fixed blade and a movable blade and facilitate miniaturization of the entire printer which is installed in combination with the paper cutter. <P>SOLUTION: The paper cutter has a first supporting member 24 which supports the fixed blade 20, a second supporting member 26 which is disposed to be displaceable with respect to the first supporting member and supports the movable blade 22, a movable blade driving source 60 which generates driving force for moving the movable blade on the second supporting member, and a motive power transmission mechanism 62 which transmits the driving force of the movable blade driving source to the movable blade. The motive power transmission mechanism includes a first gear row 64 which is installed on the first supporting member and connected to the movable blade driving source and a second gear row 66 which is installed on the second supporting member and connected to the movable blade. The second gear row has a pair of pinions 74 and 76 which is installed along both-side edges of the movable blade and rotate in synchronization with each other and a plurality of holes formed on the both-side edges of the movable blade, respectively. The pinions are meshed with the plurality of holes so as to transmit the driving force to the side edges. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper cutter that can be attached to a printer.

  2. Description of the Related Art A printer is known that includes a cutter unit that automatically separates a printed portion of a printing sheet from an unprinted portion after printing on a continuously fed printing sheet by a printing unit. This type of printer with an automatic cutter is widely used as a printer such as a cash register, a portable terminal device, etc., and a cutter blade generally has a fixed blade and a movable blade that cooperate with each other to cut printing paper. And a drive mechanism for cutting the movable blade. In particular, a configuration in which a paper cutter as a self-supporting device including a fixed blade, a movable blade, and a movable blade unit having a built-in driving mechanism thereof is installed on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction of the printing unit of the printer is common.

  In addition, in a conventional printer with an automatic cutter, a first frame member that carries roll-shaped printing paper (that is, roll paper) is coupled to the first frame member so as to be relatively rotatable, and cooperates with the first frame member. And an openable frame structure (referred to as a clamshell structure) having a second frame member that demarcates the roll paper storage space, and the movable blade of the cutter unit is installed on the first frame member on the fixed arrangement side, A cutter in which a fixed blade of a cutter unit is installed on a second frame member on an opening / closing operation side is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this printer, the fixed blade and the movable blade of the cutter unit are configured to be relatively displaceable between mutually adjacent positions that can cooperate (that is, capable of cutting operation) and mutually remote positions that cannot cooperate.

  Conventionally, the above clamshell structure is effectively employed in a thermal printer having a thermal printing section having a thermal head and a platen in order to facilitate replenishment / replacement of printing paper (thermal paper). For example, in the printer described in Patent Document 1, a thermal head is mounted on the first frame member on the stationary base side that carries the roll paper, and the second frame on the rotating cover side that opens and closes the roll paper storage space. A platen is mounted on the member to constitute a printing unit that can be opened and closed. In this configuration, the first frame member is fixedly disposed so as to identify and position the printing action point on the thermal head, and the second frame member is disposed so as to be able to be rotationally displaced with respect to the printing action point. It will be. The movable blade of the cutter unit is arranged as a movable blade unit on the first frame member in the vicinity of the thermal head and on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction. The fixed blade of the cutter unit is placed on the platen plate on the second frame member. Is disposed downstream of the sheet feeding direction.

  The thermal printer having such an openable / closable printing unit is a state in which both the thermal head and the platen are sufficiently separated from each other when the newly supplied / replaced printing paper is set in the print standby state. By arranging the front end region of the printing paper along the thermal head or the platen and then closing both frame members, there is an advantage that the paper can be set easily and quickly. Moreover, in the printer described in Patent Document 1, when the paper is set, the fixed blade and the movable blade of the cutter unit are arranged at remote positions by opening both frame members, and then closed by closing both frame members. Since it is arranged at the adjacent position, there is also an advantage that the paper front end region can be easily arranged between the fixed blade and the movable blade.

  Note that the cutter unit of a printer with an automatic cutter is normally a side closer to the printing unit than the movable blade when the fixed blade and the movable blade are adjacent to each other (that is, as described in Patent Document 1, that is, It is comprised so that it may be arrange | positioned inside a movable blade. According to such a blade arrangement, the unprinted portion of the printing paper cut by the cutter unit can stand by for the next printing step with its cutting edge adjacent to the blade edge of the fixed blade. In particular, when roll paper is used, the wrapping remaining on the printing paper after printing promotes the blade edge adjacent action of the paper cutting edge. If the cutting edge of the printing paper is positioned adjacent to the cutting edge of the fixed blade, the collision between the printing paper and the fixed blade is surely avoided when the next printing process is started. Can proceed.

JP 2000-61881 A

  In a conventional printer with an automatic cutter, as described in Patent Document 1 described above, a movable blade unit, which is a self-supporting device, is generally installed on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction of the printing unit as the movable blade of the cutter unit. . Such a movable blade unit itself has a large external dimension, and as a result, there is a concern that it may hinder downsizing of the entire printer.

  Further, as described in Patent Document 1, a cutter unit of a conventional printer that employs a clamshell structure is used as a second frame member on the rotating cover side when the fixed blade and the movable blade are in mutually adjacent positions. The mounted fixed blade is configured to be arranged inside the movable blade mounted on the first frame member on the stationary base side. Therefore, when the printing paper is unintentionally jammed between the fixed blade and the movable blade during the paper cutting process and the movable blade cannot be cut, the second frame member becomes the first frame member in the paper jam state. However, it is difficult to rotationally displace the movable blade because it is adjacent to the outside of the fixed blade. Therefore, in order to eliminate the paper jam, for example, it is necessary to manually operate the drive source in the movable blade unit to forcibly retract the movable blade into the movable blade unit. Such manual recovery work is complicated and time-consuming, and there is a concern that the paper cutting process or the next printing process may be delayed.

  An object of the present invention is to quickly recover a paper cutter that can be attached to a printer when a paper jam occurs between the fixed blade and the movable blade during the paper cutting process without requiring any special manual operation. Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper cutter capable of promoting the downsizing of the entire printer provided with the paper cutter.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is arranged fixedly with respect to the supply source of the printing paper, and the fixed blade and the movable blade that cut the printing paper in cooperation with each other. A first support member to be supported; and a second support member disposed to be displaceable with respect to the first support member and supporting the movable blade, wherein the fixed blade and the movable blade can cooperate with each other. In a paper cutter configured to be capable of relative displacement with respect to a mutually remote position that cannot cooperate, a movable blade drive source that is installed on the first support member and generates a drive force for moving the movable blade on the second support member And a power transmission mechanism that moves the movable blade by transmitting the driving force of the movable blade drive source to the movable blade, and the power transmission mechanism is installed on the first support member and connected to the movable blade drive source. A first gear train and a second gear member installed on the second support member and connected to the movable blade; The first gear train and the second gear train are connected to each other when the fixed blade and the movable blade are in the mutually adjacent positions, and the fixed blade and the movable blade are displaced from the mutually adjacent positions to the mutually remote positions. Accordingly, the first gear train and the second gear train are configured to be separated from each other, the second gear train is disposed along both side edges of the movable blade, and a pair of pinions that rotate in synchronization with each other, and a movable And a plurality of holes respectively formed on both side edges of the blade, wherein each of the pair of pinions engages with the plurality of holes and transmits a driving force to each of both side edges of the movable blade. I will provide a.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the paper cutter according to the first aspect, the movable blade is guided along a predetermined movement path while the movable blade is installed on the first support member and is cutting at a position adjacent to each other. There is provided a paper cutter, further comprising: a movable blade guide to be moved; and a release mechanism for forcibly displacing the movable blade guide from a guide position engaging with the movable blade to a release position for releasing the movable blade.

  According to the paper cutter of the present invention, a paper jam between the fixed blade and the movable blade can be quickly recovered without requiring any special manual work. Further, since the driving force of the movable blade driving source is transmitted substantially evenly to both side edges of the movable blade through the pair of pinions of the second gear train, the movable blade is smoothly parallel on the second support member. Can move. In addition, since a configuration in which a pair of pinions meshes with a plurality of holes of the movable blade without using a rack is adopted, the height of the movable blade can be reduced, so that the entire printer equipped with a paper cutter can be reduced in size. Can be promoted.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar components are denoted by common reference numerals.
1 and 2 are diagrams showing a printer 10 provided with a paper cutter according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing main components of the printer 10. FIG. The printer 10 according to the illustrated embodiment has a configuration of a thermal printer having a thermal printing unit that can be advantageously connected to a cash register, a portable terminal device (for example, an electronic notebook, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone), or the like. However, the configuration of the printing unit of the printer according to the present invention is not limited to this.

  The printer 10 is arranged on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction of the printing unit 12 for printing on the continuously fed printing paper, and automatically prints the printed part of the printing paper after the printing process from the unprinted part. And a cutter unit 14 that is divided into two pieces (FIGS. 1 and 2). The printing unit 12 includes a thermal head 16 (FIG. 3), a platen 18 (FIG. 4) that holds the printing paper under an elastic biasing force in cooperation with the thermal head 16, and a drive mechanism that rotationally drives the platen 18 ( (To be described later). The cutter unit 14 includes a fixed blade 20 and a movable blade 22 (FIGS. 1 and 2) that cut the printing paper in cooperation with each other, and a drive mechanism (described later) that cuts the movable blade 22.

  The printer 10 further includes, as a support structure for supporting the printing unit 12 and the cutter unit 14, a first support member 24 for supporting the thermal head 16 of the printing unit 12 and the fixed blade 20 of the cutter unit 14, and a platen 18 of the printing unit 12. And a second support member 26 that supports the movable blade 22 of the cutter unit 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The fixed blade 20 is disposed on the first support member 24 in the vicinity of the thermal head 16 and on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction. The movable blade 22 is disposed on the second support member 26 in the vicinity of the platen 18 and on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction.

  The first support member 24 includes a substantially rectangular bottom frame portion 24a, a pair of side frame portions 24b and 24c erected at both longitudinal ends of the bottom frame portion 24a, and both sides of the bottom frame portion 24a spaced apart from each other. And a top frame portion 24d provided between the frame portions 24b and 24c (FIG. 3). The second support member 26 includes a substantially rectangular top frame portion 26a and a pair of side frame portions 26b and 26c that are erected at both longitudinal ends of the top frame portion 26a (FIG. 4).

  These first and second support members 24 and 26 are independent structures. Accordingly, the printer 10 can relatively displace the thermal head 16 and the platen 18 between a closed position where they are pressed against each other during the printing process and an open position where they are sufficiently separated from each other when the paper is set. Simultaneously with the operation, the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 can be opened / closed relative to each other between a mutually adjacent position that can cooperate during the paper cutting process and a remote position that cannot cooperate during paper setting. A printing unit 12 and a cutter unit 14 are provided.

  The thermal head 16 of the printing unit 12 includes a flat substrate 28 made of a hard material such as ceramics, and a heating element 32 disposed at a desired position on a substantially flat printing surface 30 of the substrate 28. The thermal head 16 has a line dot structure in which a large number of dot-like heating elements are linearly arranged on the printing surface 30 of the substrate 28 to form a heating element 32, and printing is performed while electrically scanning these heating elements. be able to. The thermal head 16 is disposed between the side frame portions 24b and 24c in a substantially upright posture with the printing surface 30 exposed on the bottom frame portion 24a of the first support member 24, and via an elastic member 34 such as a leaf spring. And is supported so as to be elastically displaceable over a predetermined range. The printing unit 12 further includes a control circuit board (not shown) that is electrically connected to the thermal head 16 and a platen driving mechanism described later, adjacent to the first support member 24, and a bottom near the thermal head 16. A paper guide 36 disposed on the frame portion 24a is provided.

  The platen 18 preferably includes a cylindrical main body 38 made of an elastic body such as rubber, and a shaft portion 40 that is fixed to the main body 38 along the central axis thereof and protrudes in the axial direction from both axial end surfaces of the main body 38. Prepare. The platen 18 is rotatably supported between the side frame portions 26b and 26c via the shaft portion 40 having a built-in bearing member below the top frame portion 26a of the second support member 26. In the printing process, the first support member 24 and the second support member 26 have the printing surface 30 of the thermal head 16 and the outer peripheral surface of the main body 38 of the platen 18 facing each other substantially in parallel, and the first support member 24. The printing surface 30 of the thermal head 16 is arranged to have a predetermined relative positional relationship such that the printing surface 30 of the thermal head 16 is pressed against the main body 38 of the platen 18 by the elastic biasing force of the elastic member 34 installed on the platen 18. At this time, the heating element 32 of the thermal head 16 constitutes a substantially stationary printing action point under the pressure received from the platen 18.

  The platen 18 is continuously driven while being rotated by a drive mechanism described later and sandwiching a printing sheet (not shown) continuously fed to the printing unit 12 between the thermal head 16 and the platen 18 under pressure. To send. Meanwhile, in the thermal head 16, the heating element 32 provided on the printing surface 30 is electrically operated to execute desired printing on the printing paper. In this way, the platen 18 functions as a back support roller for realizing stable printing on the printing paper by the thermal head 16, and also functions as a paper feeding roller for continuously feeding the printing paper by frictional force.

  The fixed blade 20 of the cutter unit 14 is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member made of a hard material such as metal, and the straight blade edge 20a is directed to the thermal head 16 side on the top frame portion 24d of the first support member 24. Arranged in a flat position. The fixed blade 20 is supported so as to be elastically displaceable over a predetermined range above the first support member 24 via an elastic pressing member (described later) such as a leaf spring. The movable blade 22 of the cutter unit 14 is a deformed plate-like member made of a hard material such as metal, and the V-shaped blade edge 22a faces the platen 18 side under the top frame portion 26a of the second support member 26. Placed in a flat position. The movable blade 22 is slidably supported on guide shoulder surfaces 26d (see FIG. 7) formed on the pair of side frame portions 26b and 26c of the second support member 26, respectively. The fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 cut the printing paper in the direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction from the both side edges toward the center by the cooperative shearing action of the linear blade edge 20a and the V-shaped blade edge 22a. .

  When the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 are in the mutually adjacent positions where the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 can cooperate during the paper cutting process, the cutter unit 14 is upstream of the movable blade 22 in the paper feeding direction closer to the printing unit 12. That is, it is configured to be disposed inside (that is, inside the movable blade 22). With such a blade arrangement, the unprinted portion of the printing paper cut by the cutter unit 14 can stand by for the next printing step with its cutting edge adjacent to the cutting edge of the fixed blade 20. Thereby, when the next printing process is started, the collision between the printing paper and the fixed blade 20 is surely avoided, so that the printing process can proceed smoothly.

  As a characteristic configuration of the printer 10, the above-described openable / closable printing unit 12 and cutter unit 14 position the first support member 24 by specifying the printing action point (the heating element 32 of the thermal head 16) in the printing unit 12. The second support member 26 is disposed so as to be displaceable with respect to the first support member 24. This configuration will be further described in detail with reference to one usage pattern of the printer 10 shown in FIGS.

  In one form of use, the printer 10 further includes a paper feeding unit 42 (that is, a paper supply source) that is disposed upstream of the printing unit 12 in the paper feeding direction and stores the printing paper P so as to be continuously fed. it can. In this case, the printer 10 is connected to the stationary base 44 that carries the roll-shaped printing paper P (that is, the roll paper R) and the stationary base 44 so as to be relatively displaceable. It is advantageous to have a clamshell structured casing 50 with an open / close cover 48 defining a storage space 46. The casing 50 has a first mounting base 52 integrally connected to the stationary base 44, and the first support member 24 of the printer 10 is fixedly mounted on the first mounting base 52. Further, the casing 50 has a second mounting base 54 that is integrally connected to the opening / closing cover 48, and the second support member 26 of the printer 10 is fixedly mounted on the second mounting base 54. The opening / closing cover 48 is rotatably connected to the end of the stationary base 44 opposite to the first mounting base 52 through the pivot 56 at the end opposite to the second mounting base 54. .

  Therefore, if the configuration of the printer 10 is described according to the usage pattern, the first support member 24 is related to the stationary base 44 that carries the printing paper (roll paper R) stored in the paper feeding unit 42. The printing action point (the heating element 32 of the thermal head 16) in the printing unit 12 is positioned at a predetermined position in the casing 50. The second support member 26 is specified on the first support member 24 in relation to an open / close cover 48 that is connected to the stationary base 44 so as to be relatively rotatable and defines a paper storage space 46 of the paper supply unit 42. Further, the printing unit 12 is disposed so as to be capable of rotational displacement with respect to the printing action point. The first support member 24 and the second support member 26 can be completely integrated with the casing 50 so as to include the stationary base 44 and the opening / closing cover 48, respectively.

  When the opening / closing cover 48 of the casing 50 is in the closed position on the stationary base 44, the thermal head 16 and the platen 18 of the printing unit 12 are placed in the above-described closed position, and the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 of the cutter unit 14. Are placed at the mutually adjacent positions described above. At this time, between the edge of the second mounting base 54 positioned at the free end of the opening / closing cover 48 and the edge of the other part of the casing 50 connected to the stationary base 44, A paper exit 58 for deriving the printing paper P that has passed through the cutter unit 14 to the outside is defined. When the opening / closing cover 48 of the casing 50 is sufficiently opened on the stationary base 44, the thermal head 16 and the platen 18 of the printing unit 12 are placed in the open position described above, and the fixed blade 20 and the movable of the cutter unit 14 are moved. The blade 22 is placed at the mutual remote position described above.

Next, the configuration of the drive mechanism of the printing unit 12 and the cutter unit 14 will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 7, the driving mechanism of the cutter unit 14 includes a movable blade driving source 60 that generates a driving force for moving the movable blade 22 relative to the second support member 26, and a driving force of the movable blade driving source 60. Is transmitted to the movable blade 22 to move the movable blade 22. The movable blade drive source 60 is composed of, for example, a pulse motor, and is fixedly installed on the first support member 24 behind the thermal head 16 (FIG. 1). The power transmission mechanism 62 includes a first gear train 64 installed on the first support member 24 and connected to the movable blade drive source 60, and a second gear installed on the second support member 26 and connected to the movable blade 22. And a column 66. The first gear train 64 and the second gear train 66 are connected to each other when the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 are in the mutually adjacent positions, and the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 are displaced from the mutually adjacent positions to the mutually remote positions. As they move away from each other.

  The first gear train 64 of the power transmission mechanism 62 has a plurality of gears including a driving gear 68 fixed to the output shaft of the movable blade drive source 60, and extends along one side frame portion 24 c of the first support member 24. To transmit the torque of the movable blade drive source 60 at an appropriate reduction ratio. The second gear train 66 has a plurality of gears including an idle gear 70 rotatably supported on one shaft portion 40 of the platen 18, and a pair of side frame portions 26 b and 26 c of the second support member 26. The torque transmitted from the first gear train 64 is transmitted to the movable blade 22.

  More specifically, the second gear train 66 rotates in synchronization with the idle gear 70, the intermediate gear 72 that meshes with the idle gear 70, the first pinion 74 that meshes with the intermediate gear 72, and the first pinion 74. A second pinion 76 and first and second racks 78 and 80 meshing with the first and second pinions 74 and 76, respectively. The idle gear 70 rotates on the platen shaft portion 40 that is pivotally supported by one side frame portion 26c of the second support member 26 corresponding to the side frame portion 24c of the first support member 24 in which the first gear train 64 is installed. It is supported freely. The intermediate gear 72 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 82 erected at a predetermined position on the outer surface of the side frame portion 26 c of the second support member 26. The idle gear 70 can also be rotatably attached to another spindle that is erected on the side frame portion 24c.

  The first pinion 74 and the second pinion 76 are respectively fixed to both ends of a connecting shaft 84 provided between both side frame portions 26b and 26c of the second support member 26, and outside the side frame portion 26c and the side frame portion 26b. The movable blade 22 is disposed along both side edges 22b. The first rack 78 and the second rack 80 have attachment pieces 78a and 80a formed integrally with each other, and are fixed to both side edges 22b of the movable blade 22 via the attachment pieces 78a and 80a. With such a configuration, the driving force (torque) of the movable blade drive source 60 is transmitted substantially equally to both side edges 22b of the movable blade 22 via the first gear train 64 and the second gear train 66. As a result, the movable blade 22 can be smoothly translated along the pair of guide shoulder surfaces 26d of the second support member 26 without being caught by tilting. Such a double-sided drive structure of the movable blade 22 (particularly, the second pinion 76, the second rack 80, and the connecting shaft 84) improves the sliding guide function of the movable blade 22 on the second support member 26. Therefore, it can be omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the driving mechanism of the printing unit 12 includes a roller driving source 86 that generates a driving force for rotating the platen 18 that functions as a paper feed roller on the second support member 26, and a roller driving source 86. And a second power transmission mechanism 88 that transmits the driving force to the platen 18 to rotate the platen 18. The roller drive source 86 is composed of, for example, a pulse motor, is fixed to the first support member 24 behind the thermal head 16, and is opposed to the movable blade drive source 60 (FIG. 1). The second power transmission mechanism 88 is installed on the first support member 24 and connected to the roller drive source 86, and the fourth gear train 90 is installed on the second support member 26 and connected to the platen 18. And a gear train 92. The third gear train 90 and the fourth gear train 92 are connected to each other when the thermal head 16 and the platen 18 are in the closed position in the mutually pressed state, and the thermal head 16 and the platen 18 are displaced from the closed position to the open position. With each other.

  The third gear train 90 of the power transmission mechanism 88 has a plurality of gears including a driving gear 94 fixed to the output shaft of the roller drive source 86, and extends along the other side frame portion 24 b of the first support member 24. It is installed and transmits the torque of the roller drive source 86 at an appropriate reduction ratio. The fourth gear train 92 includes a driven gear 96 fixed to the other shaft portion 40 of the platen 18, and is installed along the other side frame portion 26 b of the second support member 26. The torque transmitted from 90 is transmitted to the platen 18. With such a configuration, the driving force (torque) of the roller driving source 86 is transmitted to the platen 18 via the third gear train 90 and the fourth gear train 92.

  As described above, in the printer 10, the thermal head 16 and the platen 18 of the printing unit 12, the fixed blade 20 of the cutter unit 14, Since each of the movable blades 22 is incorporated, the printing unit 12 and the cutter unit 14 are structurally integrated, and the overall size of the printer 10 with an automatic cutter is a conventional printer equipped with a self-supporting movable blade unit. Is significantly reduced compared to In particular, the illustrated configuration in which the cutter driving mechanism having a configuration similar to the driving mechanism of the printing unit 12 is placed on the opposite side of the printing unit driving mechanism on the first and second support members 24 and 26 is simplified in structure. This contributes to a reduction in the number of parts and further promotes downsizing of the printer 10.

  Moreover, in this open / close support structure, the first support member 24 that supports the fixed blade 20 is fixed on the fixed arrangement side while adopting the conventional cutter configuration in which the fixed blade 20 is arranged inside the movable blade 22 at mutually adjacent positions. Since the second support member 26 that supports the movable blade 22 is on the opening / closing operation side, the printing paper is clogged between the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 during the printing process, and the movable blade 22 cannot be cut. The second support member 26 can be easily displaced without any obstacle with respect to the first support member 24. In particular, even when the clamshell support structure is adopted, the movable blade 22 is fixed by easily rotating and displace the opening / closing cover 48 on the second support member 26 side with respect to the stationary base 44 on the first support member 24 side. It can be quickly separated from the blade 20. Therefore, according to the printer 10, when a paper jam occurs between the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 during the paper cutting process, the second support member 26 is simply displaced with respect to the first support member 24. Paper jam can be quickly eliminated without requiring any special manual work, and the paper cutting function can be restored by minimizing the stagnation of the paper cutting process or the next printing process.

  Furthermore, according to the printer 10, since the movable blade driving source 60 of the cutter unit 14 is installed on the first support member 24, for example, when a clamshell type support structure is adopted, the opening / closing cover 48 on the second support member 26 side. Thus, the opening / closing cover 48 can be opened and closed easily. Further, since it is not necessary to lay the power supply and control wiring of the movable blade drive source 60 on the opening / closing cover 48 side, the wiring configuration of the entire printer is simplified.

  The cutter unit 14 of the printer 10 described above is a paper cutter according to an embodiment of the present invention, and supports the fixed blade 20 and the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 that can be relatively displaced between the mutually adjacent positions and the mutually remote positions. A sheet cutter that can be attached to the printer is provided, which includes the first support member 24 on the fixed arrangement side and the second support member 26 on the opening / closing operation side that supports the movable blade 22. This paper cutter has a built-in structure that can facilitate downsizing when the printer is installed, and special paper is used to remove jammed paper between the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 during the paper printing process. Since the movable blade drive source 60 that generates the driving force for moving the movable blade 22 on the second support member 26 is installed in the first support member 24, the clamshell type support structure can be obtained. Even when it is adopted, an increase in the weight of the opening / closing cover 48 can be avoided, and the wiring configuration of the entire printer can be simplified.

The printer 10 having the above-described configuration can be additionally or selectively equipped with various characteristic configurations that exhibit exceptional and advantageous operational effects.
For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the first rack 78 and the second rack 80 in the movable blade driving mechanism are fixed to the movable blade 22 via the respective attachment pieces 78 a and 80 a, so that both sides of the movable blade 22 are arranged. It is arranged outside the edge 22b. In this configuration, if the dimensions of the mounting pieces 78a and 80a are suppressed to the necessary minimum and are arranged at positions that do not interfere with the fixed blade 20 during the cutting operation of the movable blade 22, the maximum moving distance T of the movable blade 22 related to the cutting operation. The length L (FIG. 8A) of the racks 78 and 80 necessary for securing (FIG. 8B) is approximated to the depth W of the movable blade 22 (FIG. 8B) as much as possible. Can be made. In other words, there is an advantage that the depth W of the movable blade 22 when using the racks 78 and 80 having the required length L can be reduced to a necessary minimum.

  Moreover, in this structure, it is advantageous to form the attachment pieces 78a, 80a of the first and second racks 78, 80 so as to locally cover the surface (the lower surface in the drawing) of the movable blade 22. As described above, the fixed blade 20 is provided with the pressing member 98 that elastically urges the fixed blade 20 in the direction in which the fixed blade 20 contacts the movable blade 22 on the first support member 24 (FIG. 8B). ). Therefore, when the movable blade 22 performs the cutting operation on the second support member 26, as shown in FIG. 9, the blade edge 22a side of the movable blade 22 is pushed up by the fixed blade 20, and the movable blade 22 is lifted somewhat. The rear end edge 22 (opposite side of the blade edge 22a) may be pressed against the guide shoulder surface 26d of the second support member 26, thereby preventing the movable blade 22 from moving smoothly. Therefore, the movable blade 22 can be moved smoothly by configuring the mounting pieces 78a, 80a of the racks 78, 80 to be interposed between the lower surface of the movable blade 22 and the guide shoulder surface 26d of the second support member 26. Can be made. In this respect, it is preferable that at least the mounting pieces 78a and 80a of the racks 78 and 80 are made of a resin material having self-lubricating properties.

  Note that the pressing member 98 that biases the fixed blade 20 is an indispensable component for improving the cutting action in cooperation with the movable blade 22. By integrating the pressing member 98 with the elastic member 34 that elastically supports the thermal head 16, the number of components can be reduced. Further, instead of the pressing member 98, a pressing member that urges the movable blade 22 toward the fixed blade 20 may be provided on the movable blade 22 side.

  Instead of the first and second racks 78 and 80 described above, a rack 100 installed on the back surface of the movable blade 22 may be employed as shown in FIGS. This configuration is effective when the size of the printer 10 in the lateral direction (paper crossing direction) is limited because the rack 100 and the corresponding pinions 74 and 76 do not protrude on both sides of the movable blade 22. However, since the depth W of the movable blade 22 is not less than L + T with respect to the length L of the rack 100 necessary for securing the maximum moving distance T of the movable blade 22 related to the cutting operation, the vertical dimension of the printer 10 is Enlarged. Further, the height h of the movable blade 22 including the rack 100 is also larger than that in the configuration of FIG.

  Further, the rack may be omitted, and a configuration in which the pinions 74 and 76 mesh with the plurality of holes 102 directly formed in the movable blade 22 as shown in FIGS. In this configuration, the depth W of the movable blade 22 is the same as that in FIG. 10, but the height h of the movable blade 22 can be reduced as compared with the configuration in FIG.

  In the printer 10, when the first and second support members 24 and 26 are in an open state, the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 of the cutter unit 14 are moved from a mutually adjacent position to a mutually remote position in order to eliminate a paper jam. In order to ensure the safety of the operator, it is important to prevent the movable blade 22 from floating on the second support member 26 when displaced toward the surface. For that purpose, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 12, the cutter unit 14 is directed to the retracted position where the movable blade 22 is accommodated on the second support member 26 and the blade edge 22 a is accommodated inward of the second support member 26. The elastic member 104 can be provided. The elastic member 104 has a form of a return spring including, for example, a torsion coil spring 104 shown in the drawing. In this case, the torsion coil spring 104 is disposed around the support shaft 82 erected on the side frame portion 26c of the second support member 26, and is fixedly connected to the side frame portion 26c at one end and at the other end. The intermediate gear 72 is fixedly connected. Such an elastic member 104 always elastically biases the intermediate gear 72 in the rotational direction in which the movable blade 22 is moved to the retracted position where the blade edge 22a is hidden under the top frame portion 26a of the second support member 26. To do.

  According to the above configuration, the movable blade 22 is located adjacent to the fixed blade 20, and when the first gear train 64 and the second gear train 66 of the power transmission mechanism 62 are connected to each other, the movable blade 22 The cutting operation is performed against the urging of the elastic member 104 by the driving force of the driving source 60. At this time, the normal return operation of the movable blade 22 is performed by a driving force that acts in the same direction as the urging force of the elastic member 104 by reversing the movable blade driving source 60. On the other hand, when the movable blade 22 is moved from the mutually adjacent position to the mutually remote position in order to eliminate the paper jam generated during the sheet cutting process, the second gear train 66 is detached from the first gear train 64, and at that moment. The movable blade 22 is automatically retracted to the retracted position by the urging of the elastic member 104. Further, while the first and second support members 24 and 26 are opened, the movable blade 22 is always held in the retracted position by the urging of the elastic member 104.

  In the printer 10, in order to improve the reliability of the paper cutting operation of the cutter unit 14, the movable blade 22 is accurately disposed at the retracted position or a predetermined initial position in the vicinity thereof before the start of the printing process. Need to be. For that purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, the cutter unit 14 includes a sensor 106 that senses the position of the movable blade 22 at a position adjacent to each other with respect to the fixed blade 20, and a movable blade drive source 60 based on the sensing signal of the sensor 106. And a control unit 108 for controlling. The sensor 106 can be composed of a mechanical, optical, or magnetic sensor, and is fixedly installed at a predetermined position in the vicinity of the fixed blade 20 on the first support member 24, so that the movable blade 22 is retracted from the initial position or the initial position. Sense movement. Further, the control unit 108 can be shared with the drive control unit of the thermal head 16 and the platen 18 in the printing unit 12. With such a configuration, an increase in the number of parts is suppressed, and when the clamshell structure is adopted, it is not necessary to lay the wiring of the sensor 106 on the opening / closing cover 48 side, so the wiring configuration of the entire printer is simplified. The

Next, an example of operation control of the printing unit 12 and the cutter unit 14 by the control unit 108 that is shared with the drive control unit of the printing unit 12 will be described with reference to FIG.
At the start of the printing process, first, in step P1, it is determined whether or not the sensor 106 is OFF (a state in which the movement of the movable blade 22 is not sensed). If OFF, the roller drive source 86 is turned off in step P2. Starting in the forward direction, the printing paper is fed in the normal direction by forward rotation of the platen 18. When the sensor 106 is ON (in a state where the movement of the movable blade 22 is sensed), the movable blade drive source 60 is activated in the reverse direction in Step P3 until the sensor 106 is turned OFF (that is, the movable blade 22). The movable blade 22 is moved (until 22 reaches the retracted position or the initial position). The printing unit 12 executes a printing process in accordance with the feeding of the printing paper. After the printing process is finished, the roller driving source 86 is stopped in step P4 to stop the paper feeding.

  Next, in Step P5, the movable blade drive source 60 is activated in the forward direction, the movable blade 22 is moved from the retracted position or the initial position in the sheet cutting direction, and the sensor 106 is turned on. After determining in step P6 that the sensor 106 has been turned ON, in step P7, the movable blade drive source 60 is moved in the positive direction by a predetermined additional amount (for example, the number of pulses) to further move the movable blade 22 to the sheet. Move in the cutting direction to cut the print paper. Note that, depending on the setting of the additional operation amount (number of pulses), it is possible to select whether to cut the printing paper completely or leave a part.

  After the movable blade drive source 60 operates by a predetermined additional amount, the movable blade drive source 60 is activated in the reverse direction in Step P8 until the sensor 106 is turned off (that is, the movable blade 22 is in the retracted position or the initial position). The movable blade 22 is moved (until it reaches). After determining that the sensor 106 is turned OFF in Step P9, the movable blade drive source 60 is stopped in Step P10, and the movable blade 22 is stopped. By performing such operation control, the movable blade 22 is always arranged at the retracted position or the initial position before the start of the printing process, and the reliability of the paper cutting operation of the cutter unit 14 is improved.

  In the printer 10, as described above, when the fixed blade 20 is brought into contact with the movable blade 22 under the urging force of the pressing member 98, the blade edge 22a side of the movable blade 22 tends to be lifted during the cutting operation. In order to accurately cut the printing paper, it is desirable to suppress the lifting of the movable blade 22 as much as possible. To that end, the cutter unit 14 can include a movable blade guide 110 (FIG. 14) that guides the movable blade 22 along a predetermined movement path while the movable blade 22 performs a cutting operation at mutually adjacent positions. In this case, as shown in FIG. 14, a pair of movable portions each having a recess 110 a for receiving both side edges 22 b of the movable blade 22 on the first support member 24 along a predetermined movement path of the movable blade 22. The blade guide 110 can be installed. Each movable blade guide 110 is installed to be swingable about a shaft 112, and is urged by an elastic element 114 such as a torsion coil spring in a direction that suppresses the lifting operation of the movable blade 22 that deviates from a predetermined movement path. . According to such a configuration, the two movable blade guides 110 prevent the movable blade 22 from being lifted on the blade tip 22a side during the cutting operation, and ensure that the movable blade 22 and the fixed blade 20 are in contact with each other under pressure. The printing paper is cut accurately.

  In the above configuration, when a paper jam occurs in the cutter unit 14, the second support member 26 can be separated from the first support member 24 unless the engagement state of the movable blade 22 and the movable blade guide 110 is released. It becomes difficult. Accordingly, the cutter unit 14 may further include a release mechanism that forcibly displaces the movable blade guide 110 from a guide position that engages the movable blade 22 to a release position that releases the movable blade 22. Here, in the printer 10, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of swinging hooks 116 and 118 for hooking the first support member 24 and the second support member 26 to each other in the closed position are provided in the first support member 24. It is installed in the vicinity of the upper first gear train 64 and third gear train 90. It is advantageous from the viewpoint of reducing the number of parts that these swinging hooks 116 and 118 function as a release mechanism for the movable blade guide 110.

  As schematically shown in FIG. 14, the pair of swinging hooks 116 and 118 are fixedly connected to each other by the connecting shaft 120 and are installed on the first support member 24 so as to be swingable about the connecting shaft 120. The The swinging hooks 116 and 118 extend on the opposite side of the hook portions 116a and 118a with the hook portions 116a and 118a that can be engaged with the shaft portion 40 (FIG. 4) of the platen 18 and the fixing portion of the connecting shaft 120 interposed therebetween. Extended portions 116b and 118b. One swinging hook 118 has a lever portion 118c extending on the back side of the hook portion 118a. As shown in FIG. 15, these swinging hooks 116 and 118 are operated by the operator manually operating the lever portion 118 c of one swinging hook 118 to rotate the swinging hooks 116 and 118 around the connecting shaft 120. As a result, the hook portions 116a and 118a engage or disengage from the platen shaft 40.

  Each movable blade guide 110 has an extended portion 110b extending on the opposite side of the recess 110a across the support portion of the shaft 112. Each swinging hook 116, 118 is arranged such that its extended portion 116 b, 118 b comes into contact with the lower surface of the extended portion 110 b of each movable blade guide 110. In this state, each of the swinging hooks 116 and 118 receives the biasing force of the elastic element 114 attached to the corresponding movable blade guide 110 from the extension portion 110b to the extension portions 116b and 118b, and the hook portions 116a and 118a are platen. It is biased in the direction of engaging with the shaft portion 40. Therefore, during the paper cutting step, the movable blade guides 110 guide the movable blade 22 along the predetermined movement path at the guide position, and at the same time, the two swinging hooks 116 and 118 engage with the platen shaft portion 40 to provide the second support. The member 26 is stably held in the closed position. When a paper jam occurs during paper cutting, the operator manually operates the lever portion 118c of one swinging hook 118 to disengage both swinging hooks 116 and 118 from the platen shaft portion 40 and simultaneously The movable blade guide 110 is forcibly displaced from the guide position to the release position. As a result, the second support member 26 can be easily separated from the first support member 24.

  Note that the lever portion 118c of the one swing hook 118 described above is in a position where it can easily interfere with the gear train of the drive mechanism installed on the second support member 26. In particular, since the interference with the second gear train 66 of the movable blade drive mechanism is likely to occur, the swing hook 118 is installed on the first support member 24 on the opposite side to the second gear train 66 as shown in the figure. Yes. At this time, the swing hook 118 having the lever portion 118c may be required to be installed on the side opposite to the illustrated embodiment due to structural restrictions of the device on which the printer 10 is mounted. In such a case, a motor having the same structure is used as the movable blade drive source 60 and the roller drive source 86, and the first gear train 64 of the movable blade drive mechanism and the third gear train 90 of the platen drive mechanism are the same. It is advantageous to employ a deceleration structure. If such a symmetrical configuration is adopted, the swinging hook 118 having the lever portion 118c can be changed without changing the arrangement of the drive mechanism elements of the printing unit 12 and the cutter unit 14 installed on the first support member 24. Corresponding to the position on the first support member 24, the positions of the second gear train 66 and the fourth gear train 94 installed on the second support member 26 can be exchanged.

  The printer with an automatic cutter related to the present invention can adopt a configuration in which the movable blade driving mechanism and the platen driving mechanism are made common. FIG. 16 schematically shows a printer 130 equipped with such a single drive mechanism. Since the printer 130 has substantially the same configuration as the printer 10 described above except for the configuration of the movable blade and the platen drive mechanism, the corresponding constituent elements are denoted by common reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. .

  The printer 130 includes a single drive source (pulse motor) 132 that functions as a roller drive source that rotationally drives the platen (paper feed roller) 18 of the printing unit 12 and a movable blade drive source that cuts the movable blade 22 of the cutter unit 14. The first support member 24 is provided. Further, the printer 130 selectively transmits the driving force of the driving source 132 to one of the platen 18 and the movable blade 22 to selectively cause either the sheet feeding operation of the platen 18 or the cutting operation of the movable blade 22. A power transmission mechanism 134 is provided. The power transmission mechanism 134 is installed on the first support member 24 and connected to the drive source 132, and the power transmission mechanism 134 is installed on the second support member 26 and connected to the platen 18 and the movable blade 22. And a gear train 138. The first gear train 136 and the second gear train 138 are connected to each other when the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 are in the mutually adjacent positions, and the fixed blade 20 and the movable blade 22 are displaced from the mutually adjacent positions to the mutually remote positions. As they move away from each other.

  As schematically shown in FIG. 17, the first gear train 136 of the power transmission mechanism 134 includes a plurality of gears including a driving gear 140 fixed to the output shaft of the drive source 132, and the first support member 24. Is installed along one of the side frame portions 24b to transmit the torque of the drive source 132 at an appropriate reduction ratio. The second gear train 138 has a plurality of gears including a driven gear 142 supported by one shaft portion 40 of the platen 18, and is installed along one side frame portion 26 b of the second support member 26. Thus, the torque transmitted from the first gear train 136 is selectively transmitted to the platen 18 and the movable blade 22.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 18, the second gear train 138 includes a driven gear 142 attached to the platen shaft portion 40 via a one-way clutch 144, an intermediate gear 146 meshed with the driven gear 142, A second driven gear 152 that is attached to the pinion shaft 150 via the one-way clutch 148 and meshes with the intermediate gear 146, a first pinion 154 fixed to the pinion shaft 150, and a first meshed with the first pinion 154. Rack 156. Although not shown, like the movable blade drive mechanism in the printer 10, the second pinion and the second pinion that rotate in synchronization with the first pinion 154 along the other side frame portion 26 c of the second support member 26 mesh with each other. A second rack can also be installed.

  In the drive mechanism described above, the one-way clutches 144 and 148 interposed between the platen shaft portion 40 and the driven gear 142 and between the pinion shaft 150 and the driven gear 152 have the other when the other is in the clutch engaged state. The clutch is configured to be in a released state. For example, when the drive source 132 operates in the forward direction, the one-way clutch 144 for the platen transmits the rotation of the driven gear 142 to the platen shaft portion 40 to rotate the platen 18 in the paper feed direction, while for the pinion The one-way clutch 148 is configured to idle the driven gear 152 on the pinion shaft 150. When the drive source 132 operates in the reverse direction, the one-way clutch 144 causes the driven gear 142 to idle on the platen shaft portion 40, while the one-way clutch 148 transmits the rotation of the driven gear 152 to the pinion shaft 150. Then, the movable blade 22 is configured to move in the paper cutting direction by the cooperation of the pinion 154 and the rack 156. With such a configuration, the driving force of the driving source 132 is transmitted to one of the platen 18 and the movable blade 22 as required, and either the sheet feeding operation of the platen 18 or the cutting operation of the movable blade 22 occurs. .

  In the configuration of the single drive mechanism described above, the reverse operation of the drive source 132 cannot be used to return the movable blade 22 to the retracted position or the initial position after cutting the paper. Therefore, the printer 130 is equipped with a movable blade return mechanism that automatically returns the movable blade 22 to the retracted position or the initial position after cutting the paper. As shown in FIG. 19, the movable blade return mechanism urges the pinion 154 and the rack 156 (or the movable blade 22) that do not have teeth partially over a predetermined center angle toward the retracted position or the initial position. An elastic member 158 and a stopper 160 that stops the rack 156 (or the movable blade 22) at the retracted position or the initial position against the bias of the elastic member 158 are provided.

  At the time of driving the movable blade described above, the driving force due to the reverse operation of the drive source 132 causes the pinion 154 to rotate in a predetermined angle range that meshes with the rack 156, whereby the movable blade 22 moves in the sheet cutting direction (see FIG. 19 (a) and (b)). When the cutting process is completed, the rotation angle of the pinion 154 exceeds a predetermined angle range, and the engagement between the pinion 154 and the rack 156 is released, so that the movable blade 22 is retracted by the urging of the elastic member 158 or the initial position. Automatically move toward (Fig. 19 (c)). The movable blade 22 is held at the retracted position or the initial position by the stopper 160 (FIG. 19D). In addition, by preparing a plurality of pinions having different tooth arrangement ranges and appropriately replacing them, it is possible to select between a configuration for completely cutting the printing paper and a configuration for cutting a part of the printing paper.

1 is a perspective view of a printer provided with a paper cutter according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the printer of FIG. 1. It is a perspective view which shows the related components of the 1st support member in the printer of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the related components of the 2nd support member in the printer of FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one usage pattern of the printer of FIG. 1. FIGS. 6A and 6B are external views of the printer in the usage form of FIG. 5, showing (a) when the cover is closed and (b) when the cover is opened. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a cutter unit driving mechanism in the printer of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows roughly the fixed blade and movable blade of a cutter part, (a) Perspective view, (b) Side view. It is a schematic side view which shows the fixed blade and movable blade of FIG. 8 in an operation state. It is a figure which shows schematically the modification of a movable blade and its drive mechanism, (a) Perspective view, (b) Side view. It is a figure which shows schematically the other modification of a movable blade and its drive mechanism, (a) Perspective view, (b) It is a side view. It is sectional drawing which shows the return spring in a movable blade drive mechanism. It is a flowchart which shows an example of operation control of the platen and movable blade by a control part. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows a movable blade guide. It is a figure which shows typically the operation form of a rocking | fluctuation hook. It is a perspective view of the printer by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the power transmission mechanism in the printer of FIG. FIG. 18 is a perspective view schematically showing a second gear train in the power transmission mechanism of FIG. 17. FIG. 17 is a diagram of a movable blade return mechanism in the printer of FIG. 16, schematically showing each state of (a) initial position, (b) paper cutting operation, (c) completion of cutting, and (d) completion of return.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Printing part 14 Cutter part 16 Thermal head 18 Platen 20 Fixed blade 22 Movable blade 24 1st support member 26 2nd support member 60 Movable blade drive source 62 Power transmission mechanism 64 1st gear train 66 2nd gear train 74 1st pinion 76 Second pinion 86 Roller drive source 90 Third gear train 92 Fourth gear train 102 Hole 110 Movable blade guide 116, 118 Oscillating hook

Claims (2)

A fixed blade and a movable blade that cut the printing paper in cooperation with each other, a first support member that is fixedly arranged with respect to the supply source of the printing paper and supports the fixed blade, and a displacement with respect to the first support member A second support member arranged to be capable of supporting the movable blade, wherein the fixed blade and the movable blade are relative to each other between a cooperating adjacent position and a non-cooperating remote position. In a paper cutter configured to be displaceable,
A movable blade drive source that is installed on the first support member and generates a driving force for moving the movable blade on the second support member;
A power transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the movable blade drive source to the movable blade to move the movable blade;
The power transmission mechanism includes a first gear train installed on the first support member and connected to the movable blade drive source, and a second gear train installed on the second support member and connected to the movable blade. The first gear train and the second gear train are connected to each other when the fixed blade and the movable blade are in the mutually adjacent positions, and the fixed blade and the movable blade are moved from the mutually adjacent positions. The first gear train and the second gear train are configured to be separated from each other with displacement to the mutual remote position,
The second gear train includes a pair of pinions arranged along both side edges of the movable blade and rotating in synchronization with each other, and a plurality of holes respectively formed on the both side edges of the movable blade, Each of a pair of pinions meshes with the plurality of holes to transmit the driving force to each of the side edges of the movable blade;
Paper cutter characterized by. A movable blade guide installed on the first support member and guiding the movable blade along a predetermined movement path while the movable blade performs a cutting operation at the mutually adjacent positions;
A release mechanism for forcibly displacing the movable blade guide from a guide position engaged with the movable blade to a release position for releasing the movable blade;
The paper cutter according to claim 1, further comprising:

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