JP2009072930A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a printer having a handle not interfering with movements of the printer by a simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: A paper delivery tray lever 8 takes different positions when a paper delivery tray 3 is in an opened state and when it is in a closed state. A protrusion 8a is provided on the paper delivery tray lever 8, and the position of the protrusion 8a moves to a position interfering with a protrusion 2c provided on the handle 2 when the paper delivery tray 3 in the opened state. By this, movement of the handle 2 onto a conveyance path of a recording medium from a use position can be blocked when the printer is operating wherein the paper delivery tray 3 is in the opened state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly to a printer having a carrying handle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a handle provided for carrying an apparatus includes a structure that is fixed to the apparatus and does not move, and a structure that is movably attached to the apparatus. Many handles configured to be movably attached can slide or rotate a fulcrum with respect to the apparatus (see Patent Document 1). And when not in use, there is also a configuration that can be stored in the apparatus so that it does not get in the way.

  When a handle slidably attached to the apparatus can be stored in the apparatus, a space for storing the handle is generally provided in the apparatus, and the handle is generally configured to be accommodated in the apparatus when stored. It is also known that the device can be stably carried as a structure in which the handle is fixed to the device when in use.

  Further, in the case of a handle having a configuration that can rotate with respect to the apparatus, it is common to arrange the rotation axis of the handle vertically above the center of gravity of the apparatus in consideration of safety and ease of carrying. Further, like the slidable handle, it is necessary to arrange it so as not to interfere with the operation of the apparatus within the entire movable range.

For example, when providing a handle to a portable printer, within the movable range of the handle,
・ Deteriorating the visibility of the display by LCD etc. provided in the device,
・ Deteriorates the operability of the operation buttons, paper tray, and paper output tray,
・ Prevents transport of recording media,
-The shape, strength, and position of the handle must be determined so as not to hinder the operation of the apparatus such as preventing the replacement of consumables such as ink or to reduce the user's operability.

JP 2005-219237 A

  For this reason, for example, a mechanism that prevents sliding or rotation during operation of the apparatus or a mechanism that prevents the handle from stopping at a position that prevents operation of the apparatus is provided so that the operation of the apparatus is not hindered by the handle. Doing so increases the number of parts. Therefore, it becomes a factor of cost increase.

  Further, in order to prevent the handle from interfering with the operation of the device, it is necessary to increase the strength of the handle when the handle portion is moved away from the device at the position when the handle is used. Increasing the number of components of the handle to increase the strength or using a high-strength material also causes an increase in cost.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and is to provide a printer having a handle for transporting and having a handle that does not hinder the operation of the printer with a simple configuration. .

  The above-described object is a printer that performs a printing operation by transporting a recording medium along a transport path, and a handle that is movable across the transport path between a use position and an unused position; A movement restricting member capable of taking the first position and the second position is provided. During the printing operation, the movement restricting member takes the second position to interfere with the handle, and the handle is transported from the position in use. This is achieved by a printer characterized by preventing it from moving up.

  With such a configuration, according to the present invention, a printer having a handle that does not interfere with the operation of the printer can be realized with a simple configuration.

In the following, the present invention will be described with respect to exemplary and preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a main part of a housing of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 and 3 are external perspective views of the printer shown in FIG. Throughout the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  In the figure, a printer 100 includes a printer main body 1 and a handle 2 that is rotatably attached to the printer main body 1. A protrusion 2 a that protrudes toward the inside of the printer main body 1 is provided at a portion of the shaft portion of the handle 2 that is disposed inside the printer main body 1. When the handle is rotated, the protrusion 2a also rotates around the rotation axis of the handle.

  1 and 2, the handle 2 is in an unused position (storage position), and the handle 2 is rotated to the left and right side surfaces of the printer main body 1 so that the rotation shaft exists on the vertical center of gravity of the printer main body 1. It is attached as possible. In addition, the paper discharge tray 3 attached to the printer main body 1 so as to be openable and closable with the shaft 3b as a rotation shaft opens the recording medium discharge port in the open state, establishes the recording medium conveyance path, and records after printing. It also functions as a paper discharge tray for loading media. In the closed state, it functions as a cover for the discharge port of the recording medium. In the present embodiment, the paper discharge tray 3 is a movable member that can be in a closed state and an open state, and is an example of a movable member that has an open state during a printing operation.

  The display unit 4 is an LCD with a touch panel, for example, and displays a user interface such as an operating state of the printer 100, a menu screen for performing various settings, and a screen for selecting an image to be printed.

The operation button 5 is used by the user to give various instructions to the printer 100 such as a print button for instructing the start of printing, a menu display button, a direction button, a set button, and the like.
The paper discharge tray button 6 is a button for opening the paper discharge tray 3.
The power button 7 is a button for turning the printer 100 on and off.

  The paper discharge tray 3 is urged clockwise about the shaft 3b. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the paper discharge tray 3 maintains the closed position by the claw portion 3 a engaging with the flange portion 8 b of the paper discharge tray lever 8. Therefore, when the engagement between the claw portion 3a and the flange portion 8b is released, the paper discharge tray 3 moves from the closed position to the open position. Further, the paper discharge tray lever 8 is urged counterclockwise around the shaft 8c by an elastic member (not shown) such as a spring, and the collar portion 8b is pressed against the claw portion 3a of the paper discharge tray 3. The closed state of the discharge tray 3 is maintained. The paper discharge tray lever 8 serves as a movement restricting member that can take a first position corresponding to the closed state of the paper discharge tray 3 and a second position corresponding to the open state. The shape of the paper discharge tray lever 8 in the present embodiment is an example, and may have another shape.

  The paper discharge tray lever 8 is integrally formed with a protrusion 8a. As will be described later, the discharge tray 3 is opened, and the discharge tray lever 8 is moved counterclockwise around the shaft 8c, whereby the handle 2 is moved from the used position to the unused position. The protrusion 8a moves in the path. As a result, the protrusion 8a interferes with the protrusion 2a of the handle 2 to prevent the handle 2 in the used position from moving to the unused position.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the handle 2 is rotated forward from the state of FIG. 2 and moved to a position for transporting the printer 100 (a position when the handle 2 is used).

  In the state shown in FIG. 3, since the balance is achieved by the weight of the handle 2, the handle 2 stops at the position of use. In order to increase the ease of carrying, the handle and the handle bearing part partially interfere with each other, such as a structure in which the handle moves over the protrusion provided on the handle bearing part to the position in use. You may form in. By adopting such a configuration, the friction between the interference portions makes it difficult for the handle to move from the position in use, so that the handle can be more reliably stopped at the position in use.

  Since the printer of this embodiment forms a conveyance path for the recording medium, it is necessary to open the discharge tray 3 during printing. The user can open the closed paper discharge tray 3 by pressing the paper discharge tray button 6. When the paper discharge tray button 6 is pressed, the paper discharge tray lever 8 is rotated clockwise around the shaft 8c by a mechanism (not shown), and the engagement between the hook portion 8b and the claw portion 3a is released. Is opened by an urging force applied clockwise around the shaft 3b. Thereafter, when the paper discharge tray button 6 is released, the paper discharge tray lever 8 is moved to the second position in FIGS. 5 and 6 by the counterclockwise biasing force originally received. The paper discharge tray lever 8 is maintained at the second position when the portion 8d of the paper discharge tray lever 8 and the member 10 are engaged.

  Alternatively, in response to the user operating the print button and inputting a print start instruction, the paper discharge tray lever 8 is rotated using the power (such as a motor) and the printing mechanism inside the printer, and the paper discharge tray 3 is rotated. May be opened. In this case, since the user needs to press the discharge tray button 6 to open the discharge tray 3 before printing is started, the discharge tray can be reliably opened at the time of printing, which is highly convenient. . Further, a configuration in which the paper discharge tray 3 is opened by the power and the printing mechanism inside the printer by operating the paper discharge tray button 6 may be adopted.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the state of the main part of the casing of the printer of this embodiment during a printing operation.
As shown in FIG. 4, the recording medium 9, which is generally paper, is conveyed by a paper conveyance mechanism (not shown) of the printer 100 during printing or after printing, is discharged through a discharge port 3 c, and is discharged to the opened discharge tray 3. Stacked. For this reason, the handle 2 should not interfere with the transport path of the paper discharge tray 3 and the recording medium 9 in a state in which the handle 2 is moved to the use position shown in FIG. Further, it is not preferable to decrease the visibility of the operation buttons 5, the paper discharge tray button 6, the power button 7, and the display unit 4.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a positional relationship among the handle 2, the paper discharge tray 3, and the recording medium 9 in the printer of this embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the movable range of the handle 2 interferes with the conveyance path of the recording medium 9. That is, the handle 2 can move across the transport path between the position in use and the position in unused. Further, the movable range of the handle 2 also interferes with the paper discharge tray 3 in the open state. In order to avoid interference without restricting the movement of the handle 2 during printing, the handle 2 is extended so that it does not interfere with the transport path of the recording medium 9 and the movable range of the paper discharge tray 3, and the handle portion is moved to the printer body 1. It is necessary to keep away from. However, when the distance between the attachment portion of the handle 2 and the handle portion is increased, the strength of the handle 2 is significantly reduced. Therefore, in order to increase the strength, as described in the prior art, it is necessary to increase the number of parts of the handle 2 or to change the material, resulting in an increase in cost.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the handle 2, the protrusion 2a provided on the handle 2, and the discharge tray lever 8 when the discharge tray 3 in the printer of the present embodiment is in an open state. 6 is an oblique view in the open state.
7 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the handle 2, the protrusion 2a provided on the handle 2, and the discharge tray lever 8 when the discharge tray 3 in the printer of this embodiment is closed. FIG. 8 is an oblique view in the closed state.

  The paper discharge tray lever 8 is biased counterclockwise around the shaft 8c by an elastic member such as a spring. When the claw portion 3a formed integrally with the paper discharge tray 3 and the collar portion 8b of the paper discharge tray lever 8 are engaged, and the paper discharge tray 3 is in the closed state, the paper discharge tray lever 8 is shown in FIGS. It fixes to the 1st position shown by.

  On the other hand, when the engagement between the claw portion 3a and the collar portion 8b is released by the operation of the paper discharge tray button 6, the power in the printer, or a combination thereof, the paper discharge tray 3 is opened. In response to the operation of opening the paper discharge tray 3, the paper discharge tray lever 8 is moved to the second position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 by the biasing force applied counterclockwise around the shaft 8c. Thus, in the printer 100 of the present embodiment, the paper discharge tray lever 8 takes two positions according to the open / close state of the paper discharge tray 3.

  5 and 7, the protrusion 2a and the protrusion 8a are on the same plane in the depth direction, but the protrusion 2a, the flange portion 8b, and the portion 8d are at positions shifted in the depth direction. Therefore, the projection 2a, the flange portion 8b, and the portion 8d do not interfere even if the projection 2a moves. Further, the portion 8d and the member 10 are arranged at positions where they can interfere with each other.

  Here, the power in the printer is power for driving a sublimation thermal head or an ink jet head or for transporting the recording medium in order to print the print data on the recording medium. In general, power from a motor is transmitted by gears, cams, belts, and the like to drive a head and transport a recording medium.

  Normally, when the user gives an instruction to start printing through an operation unit or the like, the conveyance mechanism feeds a recording medium such as a cassette or a roll paper holding unit by electrical control by a control unit (CPU or the like) (not shown) of the printer 100. Is transported to the printing position.

  The printing mechanism that moves the paper discharge tray lever 8 from the first position to the second position (that is, the power that moves the paper discharge tray 3 from the closed state to the open state) has a cam function that controls the driving of the paper feed roller. A sheet feeding cam lever or the like may be used. The paper feed cam lever is a part that is first driven in the printing operation sequence in the printer 100. In the printer 100 of this embodiment, when the discharge tray 3 is in the closed state when the start of printing is instructed and the discharge tray lever 8 is in the first position, in response to the start of the printing operation, The paper feed cam lever 10 is driven, and the paper discharge tray lever 8 is moved to the second position. As described above, when the printing operation is started, the paper discharge tray lever 8 moves from the first position to the second position in conjunction with the driving of the corresponding printing mechanism. This is the second position (the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6).

  The protrusion 2 a is integrally formed as a part of the handle 2 and rotates together with the handle 2. The protrusion 8 a is integrally formed with the paper discharge tray lever 8 and rotates together with the paper discharge tray lever 8.

  When the paper discharge tray lever 8 is in the second position and the handle 2 is in the use position, the protrusion 2a and the protrusion 8a are in the positional relationship shown in FIGS. That is, the projection 2a and the projection 8a are in contact with each other. If the handle 2 is moved in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5, the protrusion 2 a also attempts to move clockwise, but the protrusion 2 a interferes with the protrusion 8 a of the paper discharge tray lever 8. The force by which the protrusion 2a depresses the end face of the protrusion 8a acts in a direction to rotate the paper discharge tray lever 8 counterclockwise around the shaft 8c. However, the paper discharge tray lever 8 is already engaged with the member 10 and cannot be rotated further counterclockwise. .

  Accordingly, the protrusion 2a of the handle 2 cannot be moved from the position shown in FIG. 5, and as a result, the handle 2 cannot be rotated clockwise. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the handle 2 from moving from the position in use onto the transport path during the printing operation.

  On the other hand, when the paper discharge tray 3 is in the closed state, the paper discharge tray lever 8 is in the first position shown in FIGS. At this time, the protrusion 2a formed integrally with the handle 2 and the protrusion 8a formed on the paper discharge tray lever 8 do not interfere within the movable range of the handle 2, and the handle 2 can be freely rotated and moved. Is possible.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the handle 2, the protrusion 2a provided on the handle 2, and the discharge tray lever 8 when the discharge tray 3 is returned from the open state to the closed state.
When the printing operation is completed and the paper discharge tray 3 is returned from the open state to the closed state, first, the claw portion 3a of the paper discharge tray 3 and the hook portion 8b of the paper discharge tray lever 8 come into contact with each other. Further, when the paper discharge tray 3 is pushed and rotated in the closed direction, the force is transmitted to the paper discharge tray lever 8 through the claw portion 3a and the collar portion 8b, and the paper discharge tray lever 8 rotates in the clockwise direction. . After that, when the paper discharge tray 3 is moved to a state where the claw portion 3a and the flange portion 8b are engaged, the paper discharge tray 3 is closed as shown in FIG. 7, and this state is maintained.

  In the configuration of this embodiment, when the paper discharge tray 3 is in the open position and the handle 2 is in the unused position, the handle 2 can be moved to the used position. However, it is not common to carry the printer using the handle 2 during printing. If the handle 2 is rotated counterclockwise from the unused position during printing, the discharge tray 3 and the handle 2 first interfere with each other, so that the user can be alerted. is there. Further, when the paper discharge tray 3 is rotated together with the handle 2 to the closed position, the printer 100 detects the closed position of the paper discharge tray 3 and performs error processing to damage the recording medium 9. Since it is possible to prevent the printer body 1 from being damaged, there is no practical problem.

  As described above, the printer according to the present embodiment includes the handle that can move across the conveyance path between the position in use and the position when not in use, and a movable member that can take a closed state and an open state. The movable member has an open state during a printing operation. And it has the movement limitation member which can take the 1st position corresponding to closing of a movable member, and the 2nd position corresponding to opening of a movable member. The movement restricting member interferes with the handle at the second position, thereby preventing the handle from moving from the position in use onto the conveyance path.

  Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the handle from obstructing the operation of the printer or reducing the operability of the printer with a simple configuration.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a main part of a housing of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the printer shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the printer shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a state during a printing operation of a main part of the casing of the printer according to the embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a positional relationship among a handle, a protrusion provided on the handle, and a discharge tray lever when the discharge tray is in an open state in the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a positional relationship among a handle, a protrusion provided on the handle, and a discharge tray lever when the discharge tray is in an open state in the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a positional relationship between a handle, a protrusion provided on the handle, and a discharge tray lever when the discharge tray is in a closed state in the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a positional relationship among a handle, a protrusion provided on the handle, and a discharge tray lever when the discharge tray is in a closed state in the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the handle 2, the protrusion 2a provided on the handle 2, and the discharge tray lever 8 when the discharge tray is returned from the open state to the closed state.

Claims (6)

A printer that performs a printing operation by transporting a recording medium along a transport path,
A handle that is movable across the transport path between a position when in use and a position when not in use;
A movement limiting member capable of taking the first position and the second position;
In the printing operation, the movement restriction member interferes with the handle by taking the second position, and the handle is prevented from moving from the position in use to the conveyance path. . And a movable member having a closed state for closing the discharge port of the recording medium and an open state for opening the discharge port of the recording medium,
2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the movement restricting member takes a first position when the movable member is in a closed state and takes a second position when the movable member is in an open state. .   The movement restricting member is biased in a direction to move from the first position to the second position, and engages with the movable member to close the movable member at the first position. 3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the printer moves to the second position in response to an operation to maintain and move the movable member to an open state.   The printer according to claim 3, wherein the operation of bringing the movable member into the open state is an operation of releasing the engagement between the movement restriction member and the movable member. It further has an operation unit for instructing the start of printing,
5. The printer according to claim 2, wherein the movable member is opened in response to an instruction to start printing through the operation unit.   6. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the movement restriction member moves from the first position to the second position in conjunction with driving of a printing mechanism of the printer. 7.