JP2010046978A - Thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermal printer capable of performing printing on roll paper and cut paper, which carries out smoothly transfer of recording paper, and improves printing accuracy by preventing dust from intruding into a cut paper pathway. <P>SOLUTION: The thermal printer includes a varying guide 44 provided at a tip end side of a guide plate 34 and capable of varying posture so as to guide any of roll paper P or cut paper to a platen roller 22, and a door 40 provided at an upstream end of the cut paper pathway 31 and capable of opening and closing the cut paper pathway 31, wherein the door 40 are interlocked with the varying guide 44 by a link lever. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal printer.

  Thermal printers perform printing by pressing a heated thermal head against special recording paper that changes color when heat is applied, and many types of thermal printers are currently provided. In particular, since smooth character printing and various graphic printing are possible without using toner or ink, it is suitably used for printing various labels, receipts and tickets.

By the way, as a recording paper used in a thermal printer, a roll paper type recording paper wound so as to have a hollow hole or a cut paper type recording paper cut at a predetermined size is used. Yes. In recent years, there is a demand for handling (printing) these roll paper type and cut sheet type recording papers by the same thermal printer.
As such a thermal printer, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a first paper insertion port is provided on the end surface of the printer body, a second paper insertion port is provided on the lower surface, and a third insertion port is provided on the upper surface. In addition, a configuration is known in which it is possible to select insertion from the optimum insertion port among the three insertion ports.

Here, a conventional thermal printer will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the thermal printer in the roll paper printing mode, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the thermal printer in the cut sheet printing mode.
As shown in FIG. 10, a conventional thermal printer 100 is formed in a casing 101 so as to cover a roll paper storage portion 102 that stores roll paper P and a roll paper storage portion 102 from the outside. (See FIG. 11) A cut sheet path 103 through which P ′ is transported, a roll paper storage unit 102, and a recording provided on the downstream side of the cut sheet path 103 and sent out from the roll paper storage unit 102 or the cut sheet path 103 And a printing unit 104 that performs printing on paper (roll paper P and cut paper P ′). The printing unit 104 rotates in a state where a large number of heating elements are arranged along the width direction of the recording paper and the recording paper is sandwiched between the thermal head 105 that prints on the recording paper and the thermal head 105. The platen roller 106 that feeds the recording paper.

  Here, a guide 107 for guiding the recording paper to the printing unit 104 is formed between the roll paper storage unit 102 and the cut sheet path 103. A door (door member) 108 that can open and close the cut sheet path 103 is provided at the upstream end of the cut sheet path 103 and at the rear end of the casing 101.

That is, in the conventional thermal printer 100, first, in the roll paper printing mode, after the roll paper P is set in the roll paper storage unit 102 with the door 108 closed, the recording paper drawn from the roll paper P is the guide 107. Is guided to the printing unit 104 through the front end side of the printer. Then, printing is performed by the thermal head 105 while the recording paper is pulled out from the roll paper P by rotating the platen roller 106.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, in the cut sheet printing mode, with the roll paper (see FIG. 10) P removed from the roll paper storage section 102, the door 108 is opened to open the cut sheet path 103. Then, the cut sheet P ′ is inserted into the cut sheet path 103. Then, the cut sheet P ′ is guided by the guide 107 in the cut sheet path 103 and guided to the printing unit 104. As a result, printing is performed by the thermal head 105 while pulling out the sheet paper P ′ by rotating the platen roller 106 in the same manner as the roll paper printing mode described above.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-258553

  By the way, in the thermal printer 100 described above, in order to reliably guide the cut sheet P ′ to the printing unit 104, for example, in order to prevent the cut sheet P ′ from entering the roll paper storage unit 102 during the conveyance, the guide Reference numeral 107 denotes a position close to the printing unit 104 along the conveyance direction of the cut sheet P ′. Therefore, the conveyance path 110 for the recording paper drawn from the roll paper P is very narrow. As a result, there is a problem in that the recording paper from the roll paper storage unit 102 to the printing unit 104 becomes strict and the recording paper is drawn out to the platen roller 106 along a bent path. Specifically, when the recording paper comes into contact with the leading end portion of the guide 107, a stress acts on the recording paper from the leading end portion of the guide 107, and the recording paper is stretched between the guide 107 and the platen roller 106. It becomes. As a result, the conveyance of the recording paper is not performed smoothly, and there is a possibility that the printing accuracy may be lowered, such as rubbing or stretching of characters or figures to be printed.

  Further, since the downstream side of the cut sheet path 103 is always open, dust such as dust in the air or dust generated by friction of the recording paper, the platen roller 106, or the like is removed. There is a risk of intrusion. When dust enters and accumulates in the cut sheet path 103, the dust adheres to the cut sheet P 'passing through the cut sheet path 103, and the cut sheet P' becomes dirty before printing. There is. As a result, the printing accuracy of the thermal printer 100 itself may be reduced.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and smoothly conveys recording paper and improves printing accuracy by preventing dust from entering the sheet paper path. The present invention provides a thermal printer capable of printing on roll paper and sheet paper.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following means.
The thermal printer according to the present invention is a thermal printer that performs printing on a roll paper housed inside or a sheet paper supplied from outside, a roll paper housing section that houses the roll paper, and the roll A cut paper path formed on the outside of the paper storage unit and transporting the cut paper, a printing unit for printing on the roll paper or the cut paper, and the roll paper or the cut paper A switching guide capable of switching the attitude so that any of them can be guided to the printing unit, a door member provided at an upstream end of the sheet paper path and capable of opening and closing the sheet paper path, and the door member An interlocking mechanism for interlockingly connecting with the switching guide, and in the cut sheet printing mode, by opening the door member, the cut sheet path is communicated and the cut sheet guides the cut sheet. paper While being guided toward the printing unit, in the roll paper printing mode, by closing the door member, the conveyance path of the roll paper is expanded and the roll paper is moved to the printing unit by the switching guide. It is characterized by being directed toward.

According to this configuration, by providing the switching guide, in the single-sheet printing mode, the single-sheet paper path is communicated, and the switching guide is arranged to block the roll paper conveyance path. As a result, the cut paper transported in the cut paper path is smoothly guided to the printing unit without entering the roll paper storage unit or the roll paper transport path. High-precision printing can be performed on single-cut paper without lowering the printing accuracy such as stretching or stretching.
On the other hand, in the roll paper printing mode, the roll paper transport path is enlarged and the roll paper is guided toward the printing unit, so the recording paper drawn from the roll paper passes through the transport path without being interfered by the switching guide. Will do. That is, since the recording paper follows a straight path without being caught by the tip of the switching guide, the recording paper can be smoothly guided to the printing unit without bending the recording paper. Therefore, it is possible to perform high-precision printing without deteriorating printing accuracy such as rubbing or stretching of characters or figures to be printed.
Here, by configuring the door member and the switching guide so that they can be interlocked by the interlocking mechanism, the switching guide can be operated together with the opening / closing operation of the door member. Therefore, each of the cut sheet printing mode and the roll paper printing mode can be operated. The switching guide can be surely switched corresponding to the case. In other words, since the cut sheet printing mode and the roll sheet printing mode can be switched by a simple operation by simply operating the door member, the recording sheet can be conveyed in both the sheet sheet printing mode and the roll sheet printing mode. It can be done smoothly. Therefore, it is possible to print on the recording paper with high accuracy while improving operability with a simple configuration.

The thermal printer according to the present invention is characterized in that the switching guide is formed so as to abut against the cut sheet path and close the cut sheet path when the door member is closed. .
According to this configuration, the switching guide is configured to block the cut sheet path, thereby preventing dust from entering the cut sheet path when the cut sheet path is not used, that is, in roll paper printing mode. can do. Thus, there is no possibility of dust accumulating in the cut sheet path, and therefore, the dust does not adhere to the cut sheet passing through the cut sheet path, and the cut sheet is not stained before printing. Therefore, it is possible to print on the cut paper with higher accuracy.

The thermal printer according to the present invention is characterized in that a flexible sealing member is provided at a contact portion of the switching guide with the cut sheet path.
According to this configuration, the adhesiveness between the switching guide and the cut sheet path can be improved by providing the switching guide with a flexible sealing member, so that the cut sheet path can be reliably closed. It is possible to reliably prevent dust from entering the cut sheet path.

According to the thermal printer of the present invention, by providing the switching guide, in the cut sheet printing mode, the cut sheet path is communicated and the switching guide is disposed so as to block the roll sheet conveyance path. As a result, the cut paper transported in the cut paper path is smoothly guided to the printing unit without entering the roll paper storage unit or the roll paper transport path. High-precision printing can be performed on single-cut paper without lowering the printing accuracy such as stretching or stretching.
On the other hand, in the roll paper printing mode, the roll paper transport path is enlarged and the roll paper is guided toward the printing unit, so the recording paper drawn from the roll paper passes through the transport path without being interfered by the switching guide. Will do. That is, since the recording paper follows a straight path without being caught by the tip of the switching guide, the recording paper can be smoothly guided to the printing unit without bending the recording paper. Therefore, it is possible to perform high-precision printing without deteriorating printing accuracy such as rubbing or stretching of characters or figures to be printed.
Here, by configuring the door member and the switching guide to be interlockable by the interlocking mechanism, the switching guide can be operated together with the opening / closing operation of the door member. Therefore, each of the cut sheet paper printing mode and the roll paper printing mode can be operated. The switching guide can be surely switched corresponding to the case. In other words, since the cut sheet printing mode and the roll sheet printing mode can be switched by a simple operation by simply operating the door member, the recording sheet can be conveyed in both the sheet sheet printing mode and the roll sheet printing mode. It can be done smoothly. Therefore, it is possible to print on the recording paper with high accuracy while improving operability with a simple configuration.

(Thermal printer)
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a front view of the thermal printer, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the thermal printer in a roll paper printing mode, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the thermal printer in a cut sheet printing mode. In addition, in FIG. 1-9, in order to make an invention easy to understand, illustration is simplified, such as omitting some components suitably or simplifying a shape. 1 to 9, FR indicates the front, LH indicates the left side, and UP indicates the upper side.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the thermal printer 1 is a thermal printer 1 that can perform roll paper printing and cut sheet printing, and is suitably used as, for example, various portable information devices. The thermal printer 1 includes a roll paper P in which the recording paper P1 is wound so as to have the hollow hole 5, or a cut paper P ′ obtained by cutting a recording paper P2 having rigidity higher than that of the recording paper P1 for each predetermined size. Is set, and printing is performed on the recording papers P1 and P2 drawn from the roll paper P or the cut paper P '. That is, in the roll paper printing mode, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the roll paper P is set in the thermal printer 1, and printing is performed on the recording paper P 1 pulled out from the roll paper P. On the other hand, in the cut sheet printing mode, as shown in FIG. 3, the recording sheet P2 of the cut sheet P 'is supplied to the thermal printer 1, and printing is performed on the supplied recording sheet P2.

The thermal printer 1 has an external configuration including a casing 3 having an opening 3a (see FIG. 2) and a paper cover 20 that is rotatably supported by the casing 3 and opens and closes the opening 3a of the casing 3. The casing 3 and the paper cover 20 are provided with a roll paper storage unit 30, a cut sheet path 31, and a printing unit 32 (both see FIG. 5).
The casing 3 is made of a plastic such as polycarbonate or a metal material, and the front part is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having an upper wall 10, while the rear part is formed in a box shape that opens upward. An operation unit 14 for performing various operations of the thermal printer 1 is disposed on the upper wall 10 of the casing 3. The operation unit 14 is provided with various function switches 15 such as a power switch and a FEED switch, and a power lamp for informing ON / OFF information of the power switch adjacent to the function switch 15 and an error of the thermal printer 1. Various lamps 16 such as an ERROR lamp for notification are arranged. A paper cover open button (hereinafter referred to as an open button) 18 is provided between the upper wall 10 and the side wall 12 of the casing 3.

  The lower wall 13 of the casing 3 includes a flat surface 13a having a flat front portion and a curved portion 13b so that the rear portion is curved downward. On the flat surface 13a and the curved portion 13b, installation portions 11a and 11b having a triangular cross section projecting downward are formed (both see FIG. 4). These installation portions 11a and 11b are portions that come into contact with an installation table (for example, a desk or the like) when the thermal printer 1 is installed, and the inclined surfaces 9a and 9b are formed in parallel to each other. Therefore, the thermal printer 1 is installed and used in a state where the inclined surfaces 9a and 9b of the installation portions 11a and 11b are in contact with the installation table, that is, inclined in the forward direction.

  The paper cover 20 is a translucent member made of plastic such as polycarbonate, and is configured so that the inside of the opening 3 a of the casing 3 can be visually recognized at the closed position of the thermal printer 1. The paper cover 20 is rotatably supported with respect to the casing 3 by the hinge shaft 21 at the rear end, and is configured to be locked to the casing 3 by a locking portion (not shown) at the front end. Then, by depressing the open button 18 of the casing 3 described above, the engagement between the casing 3 and the paper cover 20 is released, and the paper cover 20 is moved from the closed position (see FIG. 1) to the open position (see FIG. 2). It can be opened and closed. In the closed position of the paper cover 20, a gap is formed along the width direction of the recording paper between the front peripheral edge of the paper cover 20 and the rear peripheral edge of the upper wall 10 of the casing 3. A discharge port 26 is formed through which the recording paper printed by the printing unit 32 is discharged.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ in FIG. In the following description, the roll paper printing mode will be mainly described as an example.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, the printing unit 32 includes a platen roller 22, a thermal head 17, and a cutting member 27.
The platen roller 22 is provided along the width direction of the recording paper P <b> 1 at the front peripheral edge of the paper cover 20. The platen roller 22 is provided so that the peripheral surface of the platen roller 22 is in contact with the thermal head 17 in a state where the recording paper P1 drawn from the roll paper P is sandwiched in the closed position of the paper cover 20. . The platen roller 22 is fixed to a roller shaft 23 (see FIG. 4) that is rotatably supported with respect to the paper cover 20. A driven gear 24 (see FIG. 4) is fixed to one end side of the roller shaft 23, and meshes with a gear transmission mechanism 25 (see FIG. 4) that is rotated by a motor 53. Accordingly, the platen roller 22 is rotated by the rotational driving force from the motor 53, and can feed the recording paper P1 toward the downstream side (the discharge port 26).

  The thermal head 17 is provided inside the upper wall 10 of the casing 3 so as to be exposed in the opening 3 a, and is provided to face the platen roller 22 in the closed position of the paper cover 20. The thermal head 17 performs printing on the recording paper P1 conveyed into the printing unit 32. The thermal head 17 is arranged in a state in which the longitudinal direction thereof coincides with the width direction of the recording paper P1, and the recording paper P1. It has many heat generating elements along the width direction. These heating elements are controlled to generate heat based on signals from a control unit (not shown), and various characters and figures are printed on the printing surface of the recording paper P1 by controlling the heating of the heating elements. It is possible to do. Further, the thermal head 17 is biased toward the platen roller 22 (rear side) by an elastic member 28 such as a coil spring.

The cutting member 27 is on the downstream side of the platen roller 22, the first cutting blade 29 a integrally formed from the front peripheral edge of the paper cover 20, and the downstream side of the thermal head 17, on the upper wall 10 of the casing 3. The second cutting blade 29b is provided at the edge and made of metal or the like. Then, the recording paper P1 that has passed through the thermal head 17, that is, the printed recording paper P1, is sent out from the discharge port 26 formed between the first cutting blade 29a and the second cutting blade 29b, and these first cuts are made. It is cut by pulling it down in contact with the blade 29a or the second cutting blade 29b.
In the casing 3, a control unit (not shown) on which various electronic devices are mounted is provided. The control unit performs overall control of each component by outputting an electrical signal or a control signal to the thermal head 17 or outputting a control signal to a motor that drives the platen roller 22.

  In addition, a guide member 33 that extends downward (upstream of the printing unit 32) is provided on the front peripheral edge of the paper cover 20. The guide member 33 guides the recording paper P1 to the printing unit 32, and the front surface side (the surface side in contact with the recording paper P1) is curved in a substantially arc shape in cross section.

  Here, in the opening 3a in the rear portion of the casing 3, a roll paper storage unit 30 is configured. The roll paper storage unit 30 includes a guide plate 34 that stores and holds the roll paper P, and holds the roll paper P between the guide plate 34 and the inner surface of the paper cover 20 (see FIG. 5). ). The guide plate 34 is a member having an arcuate cross section provided inside the curved portion 13b of the casing 3, and is curved in parallel with the curved portion 13b. One end of the guide plate 34 extends to the rear end side of the paper cover 20 described above, and the other end extends to a position close to the guide member 33. That is, the roll paper P is placed on the guide plate 34 in a state where the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper P is in contact with the inner peripheral surface thereof, and the recording paper P1 drawn from the roll paper P is guided to the printing unit 32. is doing. Then, the recording paper P1 guided by the guide plate 34 is linearly passed through the conveyance path 38 of the roll paper P formed between the leading end portion of the guide plate 34 and the guide member 33 and printed. It is supplied to the unit 32.

  Further, a slit-like gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the guide plate 34 and the inner peripheral surface of the curved portion 13 b, and this gap constitutes the cut sheet path 31. The cut sheet path 31 is a transport path through which the cut sheet P ′ is transported to the printing unit 32, and is provided so as to cover the outside of the roll paper storage unit 30. Then, the cut sheet P ′ conveyed through the cut sheet path 31 is conveyed toward the printing unit 32 while being in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the curved portion 13 b or the outer peripheral surface of the guide plate 34. Further, on the front end side of the inner peripheral surface of the curved portion 13b, a cut sheet guide 48 that is inclined from the inner peripheral surface of the curved portion 13b toward the printing unit 32 is provided. The cut sheet guide 48 is a member that extends substantially parallel to the tip portion of the guide plate 34, and prints the cut sheet P ′ conveyed between the guide plate 34 and the cut sheet path 31 with the printing unit. A supply port 37 that supplies the liquid is directed to 32.

6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of the thermal printer in the cut sheet printing mode, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ in FIG. 1, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB ′ in FIG. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion C in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion D in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a pocket 36 that opens along the width direction of the casing 3 is formed at the rear end of the curved portion 13 b in the casing 3. The pocket 36 serves as an entrance for the cut sheet P ′ and is formed to be larger than the width of the cut sheet P ′ so that the outer peripheral surface of the guide plate 34 is exposed from the pocket 36. ing. Then, the cut sheet P ′ supplied from the pocket 36 passes through the cut sheet path 31, passes through the supply port 37 of the cut sheet path 31, and is guided to the printing unit 32.

  And the door (door member) 40 which opens and closes the pocket 36 is provided in the rear-end edge of the curved part 13b. The door 40 has an arcuate cross section extending in parallel with the guide plate 34 in the closed position, and constitutes the outer peripheral surface of the casing 3 (that is, the curved portion 13b). The door 40 is rotatably supported by the casing 3 by a pocket shaft 35 at a base end portion thereof. Thereby, the pocket 36 of the casing 3 is closed in the closed state of the door 40 (see the solid line in FIG. 8), while the rear end of the curved portion 13b in the casing 3 in the open state of the door 40 (see the dotted line in FIG. 8). A pocket 36 formed at the edge is opened. Further, at one end of the door 40 in the width direction (recording paper width direction), a convex portion 39 protruding from the inner surface of the door 40 toward the outer peripheral surface of the guide plate 34 is formed. The convex portion 39 has a substantially triangular shape when viewed from the side, and a pin 43 that protrudes laterally from the convex portion 39 is formed on the side surface.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, a neck 41 having a circular cross section is formed at the tip of the guide plate 34. The neck portion 41 is notched from both sides in the thickness direction of the guide plate 34 and is formed along the width direction of the guide plate 34 (the width direction of the recording paper). At the base of the neck portion 41, shoulder portions 42 that are inclined toward both surfaces of the guide plate 34 are formed. A switching guide 44 is fitted to the neck 41 of the guide plate 34 so as to cover it.

The switching guide 44 is a flat plate having a substantially rectangular cross section, and is provided along the width direction of the guide plate 34. At the base end of the switching guide 44, a recess 46 is formed to be fitted to the neck portion 41 described above. By sliding the recess 46 on the neck portion 41, the switching guide 44 is necked around the neck portion 41. It can be swung (rotated). On the other hand, an inclined portion 47 that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction of the switching guide 44 is formed on the distal end surface of the switching guide 44.
The switching guide 44 is at one end position during rotation (see the solid line in FIG. 9), and the inclined portion 47 abuts on the inner surface of the cut sheet guide 48 formed inside the casing 3 so that the cut sheet path 31 is moved. It is configured to close. On the other hand, at the other end position (see the chain line in FIG. 9), the switching guide 44 rotates so as to rise up around the neck 41, opens the cut sheet path 31, and approaches the guide member 33 (see FIG. 7). It extends to the position to do. That is, the switching guide 44 can be switched between the cut sheet path 31 through which the cut sheet P ′ is transported and the transport path 38 through which the roll paper P is transported by rotating to one end position or the other end position. It is configured. In addition, a pin 45 is formed on the end surface of the switching guide 44 in the width direction (the width direction of the recording paper) so as to protrude laterally from the end surface.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the door 40 and the switching guide 44 described above are provided with a connecting lever (connecting mechanism) 50 for connecting the two. The connecting lever 50 has through holes 51 and 52 penetrating in the thickness direction at both ends thereof, and the pin 43 formed on the door 40 is fitted into the through hole 51 on one end side. The other end side through hole 52 is fitted to the pin 45 formed in the switching guide 44 described above. The pins 43 and 45 fitted in the through holes 51 and 52 are both configured to be slidable on the inner periphery of the through holes 51 and 52, so that either the door 40 or the switching guide 44 is selected. It is configured to be interlocked with one operation.

(How to operate the thermal printer)
Next, an operation method of the above-described thermal printer 1 will be described. In the following description, a roll paper printing mode, a cut sheet printing mode, and a switching operation from the roll paper printing mode to the cut sheet printing mode will be mainly described.
(Roll paper printing mode)
First, the roll paper printing mode will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the roll paper P is set after the open button 18 is pressed to open the paper cover 20. Specifically, the roll paper P is set to be thrown into the roll paper storage unit 30. Thereby, the roll paper P is held in a state where the outer peripheral surface thereof is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the guide plate 34 of the roll paper storage unit 30. Then, the recording paper P1 pulled out from the roll paper P is passed through a conveyance path 38 formed between the front end portion of the guide plate 34 and the guide member 33, and the front end of the recording paper P1 is placed on the platen roller 22 and the thermal head 17. Keep it in contact with. Thereafter, by closing the paper cover 20, the setting of the roll paper P is completed. In the roll paper printing mode, the door 40 is closed and the switching guide 44 is rotated to one end position. In other words, the pocket 36 of the cut sheet path 31 is closed by the door 40, and the switching guide 44 that rotates in conjunction with the door 40 has its tip end abutted against the inner surface of the cut sheet guide 48. In the state, the supply port 37 side of the cut sheet path 31 is closed. As a result, both ends of the cut sheet path 31 are closed, and the switching guide 44 is tilted toward the cut sheet path 31, so that the transport path 38 of the roll paper P is expanded.

  4 and 5, when the thermal printer 1 is operated and the platen roller 22 is rotated, the recording paper P1 drawn out from the roll paper P while the roll paper P rotates is rotated around the platen roller 22. It is sent out to the downstream side, that is, the discharge port 26 while being sandwiched between the surface and the thermal head 17. At the same time, various characters, figures, and the like can be clearly printed on the fed recording paper P1 by the thermal head 17 in which a large number of heating elements appropriately generate heat. Thereafter, the recording paper P1 discharged from the discharge port 26 is inclined and pulled toward the cutting member 27, whereby the recording paper P1 is cut. As a result, the recording paper P1 wound around the roll paper P can be used as a receipt or the like.

(Cut paper printing mode)
Next, the cut sheet printing mode will be described. In the cut sheet printing mode, the door 40 is open and the switching guide 44 is rotated to the other end position. That is, the pocket 36 of the cut sheet path 31 is opened, and the switching guide 44 that rotates in conjunction with the door 40 rotates to rise up to a position close to the guide member 33 (see FIG. 7). It is extended. As a result, both ends of the cut sheet path 31 are opened so that the cut sheet path 31 communicates, and the switching guide 44 is disposed so as to block the conveyance path 38 of the roll paper P.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, first, the cut sheet P ′ is set in the thermal printer 1. Specifically, the cut sheet P ′ is inserted from the pocket 36 opened at the rear end edge of the curved portion 13 b in the casing 3. As the cut sheet P ′ is inserted into the pocket 36, the cut sheet P ′ is guided in the cut sheet path 31, and the leading end of the cut sheet P ′ is between the platen roller 22 and the thermal head 17. Contact. Thereby, the setting of the cut sheet P ′ is completed.

  As in the roll paper printing mode described above, when the thermal printer 1 is operated and the platen roller 22 is rotated, the cut sheet P ′ is sandwiched between the peripheral surface of the platen roller 22 and the thermal head 17. In the state, it is sent to the downstream side, that is, the discharge port 26. At the same time, various characters, figures, and the like can be clearly printed on the sent cut sheet P ′ by the thermal head 17 in which a large number of heating elements appropriately generate heat. Thereafter, the printed cut sheet P ′ is completely discharged from the discharge port 26, and can be used as a ticket or the like.

(Switching operation from roll paper printing mode to cut sheet printing mode)
When switching from the roll paper printing mode to the cut sheet paper printing mode, first, as shown in FIG. 2, after pressing the open button 18 to open the paper cover 20, the roll paper is loaded from the roll paper storage unit 30. Take out P.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the cut sheet path 31 is opened. Specifically, when the door 40 is opened, the pins 43 and 45 of the door 40 and the switching guide 44 are rotated with respect to the connecting lever 50. Then, the connecting lever 50 pulls the switching guide 44 toward the rear side, and the switching guide 44 rotates so as to rise up around the neck portion 41. Thereby, both end sides (pocket 36 and supply port 37) of the cut sheet path 31 are opened, and the cut sheet path 31 communicates.

  Note that when switching from the cut sheet printing mode to the roll paper printing mode, a procedure reverse to the above-described operation may be performed. That is, when the closing operation is performed from the state in which the door 40 is opened, the pins 43 and 45 of the door 40 and the switching guide 44 are rotated with respect to the connecting lever 50 as in the above-described opening operation. Then, when the connecting lever 50 pushes down the switching guide 44 toward the front side, the switching guide 44 rotates so as to tilt around the neck portion 41 toward the other end position. As a result, both ends of the cut sheet path 31 are closed, and the switching guide 44 is tilted toward the cut sheet path 31, so that the conveyance path 38 of the roll paper P is enlarged and becomes a linear path. In the present embodiment, since the shoulder portion 42 that is inclined toward both surfaces of the guide plate 34 is formed at the base of the neck portion 41, the rotation range of the switching guide 44 is adjusted by the angle of the shoulder portion 42. Can do. That is, the shoulder portion 42 allows the switching guide 44 to rotate, and also has a function as a stopper by contacting the base end surface of the switching guide 44 when rotating.

As described above, in this embodiment, the switching guide 44 that is provided on the front end side of the guide plate 34 and can be switched so as to guide either the roll paper P or the cut sheet P ′ to the platen roller 22, The door 40 is provided at the upstream end of the slip sheet path 31 and can open and close the cut sheet path 31, and the door 40 and the switching guide 44 are configured to be interlocked by a connecting lever 50.
According to this configuration, by providing the switching guide 44 at the tip of the guide plate 34, the cut sheet path 31 is communicated with the switching guide 44 in the open state, and the conveyance path 38 for the roll paper P is blocked. Be placed. As a result, the cut sheet P ′ transported in the cut sheet path 31 is smoothly guided to the printing unit 32 without entering the roll sheet storage unit 30 or the transport path 38 of the roll sheet P. High-precision printing can be performed on the cut sheet P ′.
On the other hand, when the switching guide 44 is in the closed state, the switching guide 44 rotates so as to fall toward the cut sheet path 31. That is, the switching guide 44 is rotated so as to avoid the roll paper P conveyance path 38 and the roll paper P conveyance path 38 is enlarged. As a result, the recording paper P1 drawn out from the roll paper P passes through the transport path 38 without being interfered by the switching guide 44. That is, the recording paper P1 does not get caught at the tip of the switching guide 44, and the recording paper P1 follows a linear path. Therefore, the recording paper P1 is smoothly moved to the printing unit 32 without bending the recording paper P1. Can lead. Therefore, high-precision printing is possible without lowering the printing accuracy such as rubbing or stretching of characters or figures to be printed.

In addition, an inclined portion 47 is formed on the front end surface of the switching guide 44, and the inclined sheet 47 and the inner surface of the cut sheet guide 48 come into contact with each other so that the cut sheet path 31 is closed.
According to this configuration, the switching guide 44 is configured to close the cut sheet path 31, so that dust entering the cut sheet path 31 when the cut sheet path 31 is not used, that is, in the roll paper printing mode. Can be prevented from entering. As a result, there is no possibility of dust accumulating in the cut sheet path 31, so that the dust adheres to the cut sheet P ′ passing through the cut sheet path 31 and the cut sheet P ′ becomes dirty before printing. There is no end. Therefore, it is possible to print on the cut paper P ′ with higher accuracy.

  Here, since the door 40 and the switching guide 44 are configured to be interlocked by the connecting lever 50, the switching guide 44 can be operated together with the opening / closing operation of the door 40. Therefore, the cut sheet printing mode and the roll paper printing mode are possible. The switching guide 44 can be reliably switched corresponding to each of the cases. That is, since the cut sheet printing mode and the roll sheet printing mode can be switched by a simple operation only by operating the door 40, the recording sheets P1, P2 in both the sheet sheet printing mode and the roll sheet printing mode. Can be carried out smoothly. Therefore, it is possible to perform highly accurate printing on the recording papers P1 and P2 while improving operability with a simple configuration.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, in the present embodiment, the roll paper wound so as to have a hollow hole has been described, but a roll paper in which a recording paper is wound around a core tube may be used.
Further, a configuration in which a flexible sealing member such as rubber is disposed on the distal end surface (inclined portion 47) of the switching guide 44 is also possible. As a result, the adhesion between the switching guide 44 and the cut sheet guide 48 can be improved, so that the cut sheet path 31 can be reliably closed, and dust can enter the cut sheet path 31. It can be surely prevented.
Further, the switching guide 44 itself may be made of a flexible material such as rubber.

It is a front view of the thermal printer in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the thermal printer in a roll paper printing mode. It is a perspective view of a thermal printer in a cut sheet printing mode. It is sectional drawing of the thermal printer in roll paper printing mode, and is sectional drawing which follows the A-A 'line of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the thermal printer in roll paper printing mode, and is sectional drawing which follows the B-B 'line of FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the thermal printer in a cut sheet printing mode, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the thermal printer in a cut sheet printing mode, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B ′ of FIG. 1. It is the C section enlarged view of FIG. It is the D section enlarged view of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the conventional thermal printer in roll paper printing mode. It is sectional drawing of the conventional thermal printer in a cut sheet printing mode.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Thermal printer 5 ... Hollow hole 17 ... Thermal head 22 ... Platen roller 30 ... Roll paper accommodating part 31 ... Sheet paper path 32 ... Printing unit 34 ... Guide plate (guide) 40 ... Door (door member) 44 ... Switching guide 48 ... Cut paper guide (lower cover) 50 ... Connection lever (connection mechanism)

Claims (3)

A thermal printer that prints on roll paper contained inside or cut sheet paper supplied from outside,
A roll paper container for containing the roll paper;
A sheet paper path formed on the outside of the roll paper container and transporting the sheet paper;
A printing unit that performs printing on the roll paper or the cut sheet;
A switching guide capable of switching the posture so that either the roll paper or the cut paper can be guided to the printing unit;
A door member provided at an upstream end of the sheet paper path and capable of opening and closing the sheet paper path;
An interlocking mechanism for connecting the door member and the switching guide to be interlockable,
In the cut paper printing mode, by opening the door member, the cut paper path is communicated and the cut paper is guided to the printing unit by the switching guide,
In the roll paper printing mode, by closing the door member, the roll paper conveyance path is expanded, and the roll paper is guided toward the printing unit by the switching guide. .   2. The thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein, in the closed state of the door member, the switching guide is formed so as to contact the cut sheet path and close the cut sheet path.   The thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein a flexible sealing member is provided at a contact portion of the switching guide with the cut sheet path.

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