JP2010201617A - Electronic stamp - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small electronic stamp for easily printing by changing only a necessary part, without increasing the size of an inkjet head. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic stamp 1 includes: a transfer printing part set on a bottom face; a transferred member conveyably set in a predetermined direction for passing the transfer printing part; a printing part closely disposed to a surface of the transferred member upstream of the conveying direction of the transferred member from the transfer printing part and transferring print information by jetting ink based on the print information onto the surface of the transferred member; a transferred member conveying mechanism conveying the transferred member from the printing part to the transfer printing part by interlocking with the movement downward from above of the print medium of a top case 3 covering a stamp device body 15; and a print control means driving the printing part to jet ink corresponding to conveyance of the transferred member by the transferred member conveying mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic stamp that performs printing by bringing a bottom surface into contact with a print medium.

  A conventional electronic stamp has, for example, an inkjet head provided with a nozzle array that sprays ink directly onto a sheet, like a bottom-print type handy printer in JP-A-8-67032 (Patent Document 1), Printing of a stamp pattern as an imprint is realized by ejecting ink according to print data while moving the ink jet head in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle row.

  However, in this method, it is necessary to increase the length of the nozzle row or increase the number of nozzles according to the size of the stamp to be printed, and it is necessary to increase the size of the inkjet head. For this reason, there exists a problem that the price of an electronic stamp will become high with the enlargement of an inkjet head.

  In addition, when a stamp pattern and data such as date are stamped at the same time in a conventional electronic stamp, in addition to the area for printing data such as date, a print area corresponding to the entire area including the area that becomes the stamp pattern is provided. It had to have a nozzle row with the full width of the print area.

  Also, for example, when a mechanism for moving an ink jet head that moves in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle row and an ink tank that supplies ink, as in a printing apparatus in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-525880 (Patent Document 2), There is also a problem that the product size becomes large.

JP-A-8-67032 JP 2006-525880 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic stamp that can be easily printed by changing only a necessary portion without increasing the size of the inkjet head.

  The present invention relates to an electronic stamp that performs printing by bringing a bottom surface into contact with a print medium, and a transfer printing portion provided on the bottom surface, and a transfer target provided so as to be transportable in a predetermined direction so as to pass through the transfer printing portion. A member and the surface of the member to be transferred are arranged closer to the surface of the member to be transferred at the upstream side of the transfer member than the transfer printing unit, and ink is ejected to the surface of the member to be transferred based on the printing information to transfer the printing information. A transferred member conveying mechanism that conveys the transferred member from the printing unit position to the transfer printing unit in conjunction with the movement of the printing unit and the top case that covers the stamp apparatus main body from above to below. And a printing control means for driving the printing unit to eject ink in response to conveyance of the transferred member by the transferred member conveying mechanism.

  The electronic stamp is housed in the stamp device body so that the inner case housing the transferred member and the printing unit is slidable in the vertical direction with respect to the stamp device body, and the inner case is interlocked with the top case. When moving up and down with respect to the stamp apparatus main body, the member to be transferred is conveyed by rotation of a pinion gear meshing with a rack gear fixed to the inner wall of the stamp apparatus main body.

  Further, the inner wall of the stamp device main body has a tape pull-out pin protruding into the inner case, and when the inner case descends in the stamp device main body, the tape pull-out pin is moved inside the inner case. The transferred member housed in the inner case is pulled out from the supply core.

  Further, the transfer printing section has an opening for exposing the transfer target member to which the printing information is transferred, and has a rubber stamp surface around the opening.

  The electronic stamp of the present invention may be formed with a nozzle row having a length corresponding to the width of a portion where data is to be changed. Since the electronic stamp can be configured with a small inkjet head, an inexpensive electronic stamp can be supplied.

  Further, since printing is performed by moving a transfer film tape as a member to be transferred instead of moving an ink jet head and an ink tank, space-saving mounting is possible, and a product can be miniaturized.

It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the electronic stamp which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a reference figure which shows the rubber stamp surface and transfer printing area | region of the electronic stamp which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a functional block diagram of the electronic stamp which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the electronic stamp which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the electronic stamp which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the electronic stamp which concerns on the Example of this invention.

  Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described. The electronic stamp 1 of the present invention includes an inkjet head 97 provided with a nozzle row 65 serving as a printing unit, a transfer film tape 73 as a transfer member formed of a resin material that does not soak ink, and the bottom surface of the electronic stamp 1 And a transfer printing portion formed with a transfer opening 23 formed by cutting out a portion for printing data on the rubber stamp surface 27. The ink ejected from the nozzle row 65 of the inkjet head 97 is placed on the transfer film tape 73, and the transfer The portion printed on the film tape 73 is transferred to the transfer opening 23 that becomes the cutout portion of the transfer printing portion, and the portion printed on the transfer film tape 73 is exposed from the transfer opening 23 to transfer printing. The stamp pattern of the transfer printing section and the ink printed by the ink jet head 97 are transferred to the paper by pressing against the paper at the same time. It is possible to imprint a print pattern.

  In addition, the inner case 33 containing the transfer film tape 73 as a transfer target member and the ink jet head 97 having the nozzle row 65 as a printing unit is slidable in the vertical direction with respect to the stamp device main body 15. When the inner case 33 moves up and down with respect to the stamping device main body 15 and is housed in the main body 15, the transferred member is conveyed by the rotation of the pinion gear 51 that meshes with the rack gear 17 fixed to the inner wall of the stamping device main body 15. Let

  The inner wall of the stamp device main body 15 has a tape pull-out pin 21 protruding into the inner case 33, and when the inner case 33 descends in the stamp device main body 15, the tape pull-out pin 21 Is raised in the inner case 33 and the transferred member housed in the inner case 33 is pulled out from the supply core 69.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an electronic stamp 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a stamp pattern printed by the electronic stamp 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a transfer print area a of print data. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic stamp 1 includes a stamp device body 15 having a rubber stamp surface (not shown) serving as a transfer printing portion on the bottom surface and formed in a cubic shape having a built-in inner case, and the stamp device body 15 The top case 3 is formed so as to cover the upper part of the thin plate and is formed in a thin bottomless cubic shape. The electronic stamp 1 is placed on a sheet of paper, and the top case 3 is pushed down so that FIG. This is an electronic stamp 1 capable of stamping a stamp pattern as shown.

  More specifically, the stamp device main body 15 accommodates an ink cartridge having an inkjet head having a nozzle array and an inner case having a transfer film tape made of a resin material that does not soak ink, The bottom surface of 15 is provided with a rubber stamping surface serving as a transfer printing portion in which a portion on which data is to be printed is cut out. The ink ejected from the nozzle row of the inkjet head is placed on the transfer film tape, and the transfer film tape The printed part is conveyed to the cutout part of the transfer printing part, and the printed transfer film tape is exposed from the cutout part and pressed against the paper at the same time as the rubber stamping surface. A stamp pattern can be formed by transferring the ejected ink onto paper. It is said.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic stamp 1 includes a control unit 6, a printer unit 8, and a battery 95 as a power source for operating them.

  The control unit 6 includes a CPU 12 as a microcomputer serving as a print control unit, an input unit 7 and a display unit 5 connected to the CPU 12, a ROM 13 in which various system programs and fonts are stored, and a RAM 14 as a work memory. Is provided.

  Then, the CPU 12 serving as a print control means activates a system program stored in advance in the ROM 13 in response to a key operation signal from the input unit 7 or automatically, and operates each circuit unit using the RAM 14 as a work memory. Control.

  The ROM 13 is used as a storage unit, and stores a program for printing characters input from the input unit 7, a print font, print data, and the like.

  The RAM 14 serves as a storage means, and is an input data memory that stores characters and the like input from the input unit 7, and print data that stores print pattern data in which print information such as input characters is expanded. Areas such as a memory and a display data memory for storing pattern data displayed on the display unit 5 are secured, and a register, a counter, and the like for temporarily storing data necessary for a printing process and the like are provided.

  The printer unit 8 includes an ink jet head 97 having a nozzle row and a sensor that becomes an encoder 99. The ink jet head 97 of the printer unit 8 ejects ink from a nozzle row serving as a printing unit in response to a signal serving as printing information from the CPU 12 serving as a control unit. Although not shown, the encoder 99 is a sensor that measures the length of the top case 3 that is pressed down (the position of the top case 3), detects a black line that becomes an encoder slit, and uses the pulse signal as a print control means. A signal is transmitted to the CPU 12.

  Furthermore, the internal structure of the electronic stamp 1 of this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 4 which is an exploded perspective view of the electronic stamp 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The electronic stamp 1 includes a top case 3, a stamp device main body 15, and an inner case 33. The top case 3 is disposed so as to cover the upper part of the stamp apparatus main body 15, and the inner case 33 is provided in the stamp apparatus main body 15 so as to be slidable up and down. A sliding hole 31 is formed on the upper surface of the stamp apparatus main body 15, and a connecting shaft 35 formed in the upper portion of the inner case 33 passes therethrough so as to slide inside the sliding hole 31. Then, the top case 3 and the inner case 33 are connected, and when the top case 3 is pushed down, the inner case 33 is pushed down at the same time.

  Further, the top case 3 is formed in a thin bottomless cubic shape, and an LCD serving as a display unit 5 for displaying various settings, selection of printed matter, each warning display, etc. An operation button to be part 7 is arranged. An auxiliary spring 11 and an auxiliary plate 9 are disposed on both sides of the inner side surface of the top case 3. The auxiliary spring 11 causes the lower end of the auxiliary plate 9 to protrude slightly below the lower end of the stamp device main body 15, thereby stamping the stamp. The transfer printing portion formed on the lower surface of the apparatus main body 15 is floated.

  The stamp device main body 15 is hollow and formed in a thin cubic shape, and the lower surface of the stamp device main body 15 has an opening through which a rubber stamp surface 27 engraved with a stamp surface to be a transfer printing portion and a pressing portion 93 to be described later can protrude. A transfer opening 23 is formed.

  Further, on the inner left side surface of the stamp apparatus main body 15, a rack gear 17 that is screwed with a pinion gear 51 of the inner case 33 described later, and a slide rail 19 that is similarly engaged with a sliding groove of the inner case 33 are formed. ing.

  Further, an encoder slit 29 composed of a plurality of black lines arranged at equal intervals is displayed on the inner back surface of the stamp apparatus main body 15.

  In addition, on the right side of the inner back surface of the stamp apparatus main body 15, a tape pull-out pin that passes through a long hole 49 formed in the back surface of the inner case 33, which will be described later, and also passes through a long hole formed in the back surface of the tape cartridge 67. 21 is formed.

  Next, a tape cartridge housing portion is formed inside the inner case 33, and a tape cartridge 67 incorporating an ink cartridge 61 described later is housed in the tape cartridge housing portion. In addition, a partition plate 43 that maintains the ink cartridge 61 stored in the tape cartridge 67 is formed in the tape cartridge storage portion.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the inner case 33 is always pushed up to the upper part in the stamp apparatus main body 15 by the spring 25 disposed on the bottom left bottom surface of the inner case 33. Further, when the top case 3 is pushed down, the inner case 33 is pushed downward via a connecting shaft 35 formed on the upper part of the inner case 33, and moves downward in the stamp device main body 15, and the tape cartridge 67 A pressing portion 93 formed in the lower part is inserted into a transfer opening 23 opened in the center of the rubber stamp surface 27 of the stamp apparatus body 15.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the left side surface of the inner case 33 is engaged with a slide rail 19 formed in the stamp device main body 15 so that the inside of the stamp device main body 15 can be slid up and down. A groove-shaped sliding guide groove 39 is formed.

  A sensor that forms an encoder (not shown) is provided on the back side of the inner case 33, detects an encoder slit 29 formed in the stamp apparatus main body 15, and sends a pulse signal to the CPU 12 serving as a printing control means. Sending.

  Further, on the left side surface of the inner case 33, a pinion gear 51 of a torque transmission mechanism that is screwed with the rack gear 17 disposed on the stamp device main body 15 is disposed, and the rotational torque of the pinion gear 51 is A first gear 53, a second gear 55, and a third gear 57 having a take-up shaft 59 that transmit from the left side surface to the right side surface are provided, and torque from the pinion gear 51 is transmitted through each gear. Then, the third gear 57 having the winding shaft 59 is rotated. Further, this torque transmission mechanism has a clutch mechanism (not shown), and when the inner case 33 is pushed down, the clutch mechanism idles the gear to prevent the winding shaft 59 from rotating and the winding shaft 59 59 is prevented from rotating reversely, and when the inner case 33 performs a return operation, the take-up shaft 59 is rotated in order to take up the used transfer film tape 73 around the take-up core 71.

  A feeding shaft 45 to be inserted into the supply core of the tape cartridge 67 is disposed on the left side of the back wall in the tape cartridge housing portion of the inner case 33.

  A long hole 49 having a long axis in the vertical direction is formed on the right side of the back wall in the tape cartridge housing portion of the inner case 33 so as to be able to penetrate the tape drawing pin 21 formed in the stamp device main body 15. .

  Next, although not shown, the ink cartridge 61 is a cartridge in which the liquid ink storage portion and the inkjet head are integrated. An electrode 63 is provided on the upper surface of the ink cartridge 61, and the ink cartridge 61 is incorporated in the tape cartridge 67. When it is stored in the tape cartridge storage section, it is electrically connected. On the lower surface of the ink cartridge 61, a nozzle row 65 is formed as a printing unit for spraying ink onto the transfer film tape 73.

  The internal structure of the tape cartridge 67 of the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to FIG. The tape cartridge 67 is formed in a thick U-shape, a supply core 69 around which an unused transfer film tape 73 is wound, a winding core 71 that winds up a used transfer film tape 73, and It is composed of a roller group composed of a plurality of rollers for guiding the transfer film tape 73. Further, a pressing portion 93 formed of a cushioning material in a thick square shape is located on the lower surface of the tape cartridge 67.

  Further, a supply core 69 around which an unused transfer film tape 73 is wound is located at the upper left portion of the tape cartridge 67, and a take-up core 71 that winds up the used transfer film tape 73 is located at the upper right portion. The supply core 69 is inserted into the feeding shaft 45 of the inner case 33, and the winding core 71 is inserted into the winding shaft 59 of the inner case 33. On the back surface of the tape cartridge 67, a long hole 75 having a long axis in the vertical direction is formed so that the tape drawing pin 21 formed in the stamp device main body 15 can pass therethrough.

  The transfer film tape 73 is a long film-like tape made of a resin material that does not penetrate ink as a member to be transferred.

  Further, the unused transfer film tape 73 fed out from the supply core 69 is conveyed so as to advance along the inner peripheral side surface of the tape cartridge 67 formed in a U-shape, and is moved downward by the first roller 77 to the first position. Directed to the left by the two rollers 79, the transfer film tape 73 is exposed in the direction of the space inside the U-shape, directed downward by the third roller 81, and directed to the right by the fourth roller 83. Then, after passing through the pressing portion 93, it is directed upward by the fifth roller 85 and guided to the inside of the tape cartridge 67. The ink cartridge 61 is positioned above the second roller 79 and the third roller 81, and a nozzle row 65 serving as a printing unit is disposed near the surface of the transfer film tape 73. Further, ink is ejected from the nozzle row 65 of the ink cartridge 61, and the transfer film tape 73 on which the ink is placed is conveyed to the pressing portion 93 between the fourth roller 83 and the fifth roller 85. Yes.

  A sixth roller 87 and a seventh roller 89 are provided above and below the position near the lower right of the long hole 75 formed on the back surface of the tape cartridge 67, and an eighth roller 91 is provided near the lower left of the long hole 75. The used transfer film tape 73 is guided to the take-up core 71 through the middle of the sixth roller 87 and the seventh roller 89 and below the eighth roller 91. The transfer film tape 73 is fed out from the supply core 69 by the movement of the tape drawing pin 21 formed in the stamp device main body 15 located between the sixth roller 87 and the eighth roller 91. .

  Although not shown, the electronic stamp 1 includes a battery 95 as a power source. The electronic stamp 1 may be formed with an input terminal for connecting to an external device such as a personal computer, an insertion port for inserting a storage medium such as a memory card, and the like.

  Next, the operation of conveying the transferred member of the electronic stamp 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to FIGS.

  When the inner case 33 is not pushed down as shown in FIG. 5A, the position of the tape pull-out pin 21 formed on the stamp device main body 15 is provided on the tape cartridge 67 as shown in FIG. At the bottom of the formed slot 75. Further, even if the inner case 33 is pushed down as shown in FIG. 5B, the position of the tape drawing pin 21 formed on the stamp device main body 15 does not change. As shown in FIG. 5, the tape drawing pin 21 moves to the upper part of the long hole 75.

  At this time, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the transfer film tape 73 between the sixth roller 87 and the eighth roller 91 is pulled by the movement of the tape drawing pin 21, but the winding core Since the reverse rotation of 71 is prevented by the clutch mechanism of the torque transmission mechanism, the transfer film tape 73 is supplied from the supply core 69 side. That is, when the inner case 33 is pushed down, the transfer film tape 73 having a length approximately twice the moving amount of the tape drawing pin 21 is supplied from the supply core 69.

  That is, as the inner case 33 moves, the position of the tape pull-out pin 21 changes, and the transfer film tape 73 is supplied from the supply core 69. The transfer film tape 73 is connected to the nozzle row 65 of the ink cartridge 61. The CPU 12 serving as a print control means ejects ink from the nozzle row 65 of the ink cartridge 61 based on the print information and places the ink on the transfer film tape 73. .

  The speed at which the transfer film tape 73 is conveyed is monitored by the encoder slit 29 with a sensor provided in the inner case 33, and the speed of the transfer film tape 73 is measured at the timing of the pulse signal from the sensor. Yes. As a result, ink can be ejected from the nozzle row 65 of the ink cartridge 61 according to the speed at which the transfer film tape 73 is conveyed, and even if the moving speed of the inner case 33 has changed, It is possible to print an accurate imprint on the transfer film tape 73 by ejecting ink.

  Also, when the inner case 33 is pushed down to about half, the ejection of ink to the transfer film tape 73 is completed, and thereafter, the portion on which the ink of the transfer film tape 73 is placed until just before the inner case 33 is pushed down. It is conveyed to the position of the transfer opening 23. After that, when the specified depression is completed, the pressing portion 93 formed of a cushioning material is inserted into the transfer opening 23, and the portion of the transfer film tape 73 on which the ink is placed is exposed from the transfer opening 23. Then, the stamp pattern can be formed on the paper by pressing the paper simultaneously with the rubber stamp surface 27 serving as the transfer printing portion.

  When the inner case 33 rises in the stamping device main body 15 by the action of the auxiliary spring 11 and the spring 25, the winding shaft 59 is rotated by the gear train of the torque transmission mechanism to rotate the winding core 71, and the tape The drawing pin 21 moves down the inner case 33, and the loose transfer film tape 73 can be wound around the winding core 71.

  With such a structure, the product body size can be made smaller than when printing is performed by moving the relatively large ink cartridge 61 in the component to the left and right and printing, and data is printed. An electronic stamp 1 capable of printing a stamp pattern and data as shown in FIG. 2 can be produced at a low cost by combining with a printing surface with a minimum width of the inkjet head 97.

  According to the electronic stamp 1 of the present embodiment, it is only necessary to form the nozzle row 65 having a length corresponding to the width of the portion whose data is to be changed, and since it can be constituted by the small inkjet head 97, the inexpensive electronic stamp 1 can be supplied.

  Further, since the transfer film tape 73 is moved and printed instead of moving between the ink jet head 97 and the ink tank, the space-saving mounting is possible, and the product can be downsized.

  In the present invention, the movement of the transfer film tape 73 is not limited to the case where the transfer film tape 73 is pulled out from the supply core 69 by the tape drawing pin 21, but the supply core 69 and the winding core 71 are appropriately rotated by the rotation of the gear train. It can also be transported. Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be freely changed and improved without departing from the gist of the invention.

1 Electronic stamp 3 Top case
5 Display unit 6 Control unit
7 Input section 8 Printer section
9 Auxiliary plate 11 Auxiliary spring
12 CPU 13 ROM
14 RAM 15 Stamping device
17 Rack gear 19 Slide rail
21 Tape extraction pin 23 Transfer opening
25 Spring 27 Rubber stamp
29 Encoder slit 31 Slide hole
33 Inner case 35 Connecting shaft
39 Sliding guide groove 43 Partition plate
45 Feed axis
49 Slot 51 Pinion gear
53 1st gear 55 2nd gear
57 Third gear 59 Winding shaft
61 Ink cartridge 63 Electrode
65 Nozzle array 67 Tape cartridge
69 Supply core 71 Winding core
73 Film tape for transfer 75 Slot
77 First roller 79 Second roller
81 3rd roller 83 4th roller
85 5th roller 87 6th roller
89 7th roller 91 8th roller
93 Pushing part 95 Battery
97 Inkjet head 99 Encoder

Claims (4)

In electronic stamps that print by bringing the bottom surface into contact with the print medium,
A transfer printing portion provided on the bottom surface;
A member to be transferred provided so as to be transportable in a predetermined direction so as to pass through the transfer printing portion;
A printing unit that is disposed close to the surface of the transferred member upstream of the transfer printing unit in the transport direction of the transferred member, and jets ink to the surface of the transferred member based on the printing information to transfer the printing information; ,
A transfer member conveying mechanism that conveys the transferred member from the printing unit position to the transfer printing unit in conjunction with the movement of the top case that covers the stamp device main body from above to below;
Printing control means for driving the printing unit to eject ink in response to conveyance of the transferred member by the transferred member conveying mechanism;
An electronic stamp characterized by comprising   An inner case containing the transferred member and the printing unit is accommodated in the stamp apparatus main body so as to be slidable in the vertical direction with respect to the stamp apparatus main body, and the inner case is interlocked with the top case to the stamp apparatus main body. 2. The electronic stamp according to claim 1, wherein the member to be transferred is transported by rotation of a pinion gear meshing with a rack gear fixed to the inner wall of the stamp apparatus main body when moving up and down.   An inner wall of the stamp device main body has a tape pull-out pin that protrudes into the inner case, and when the inner case descends the stamp device main body, the tape pull-out pin rises in the inner case and moves into the inner case. 3. The electronic stamp according to claim 2, wherein the member to be transferred housed in the case is pulled out from the supply core.   4. The transfer printing portion according to claim 1, wherein the transfer printing portion has an opening for exposing a member to be transferred to which printing information is transferred, and has a rubber stamp surface around the opening. The electronic stamp described in Crab.

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