JP2011037602A - Paper sheet conveying device and printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means for conveying paper sheets, preventing bias feeding. <P>SOLUTION: This paper sheet conveying device conveys paper sheets by rotating a pair of tractor belts provided in the cross direction of a paper sheet and including sprocket pins to be inserted into sprocket holes provided in both ends of the paper sheet. An adjusting mechanism is provided on one tractor belt side to displace the phase of the sprocket pin of one tractor belt and the phase of the sprocket pin of the other tractor belt from each other in response to a displacement of phases of the sprocket holes in both ends of the paper sheet from each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet conveying apparatus and a printing apparatus that convey a sheet, and more particularly to a technique for conveying a sheet without skewing.

  In a conventional printing apparatus, a first pin tractor assembly and a second pin tractor assembly are fixed at predetermined positions of a drive shaft and a lock shaft by an operator, and a sheet of paper is applied to a sprocket pin attached to the surface of a tractor belt. When the paper is set by inserting sprocket holes provided at both ends, the paper is conveyed by rotating the tractor belt (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-219192 (paragraph “0063”), FIG. 9)

  However, in the prior art described above, the arrangement of the sprocket pins of the left and right tractor belts is provided at the same phase position. There is a problem in that the sheet is conveyed in an oblique direction, causing a skew and a conveyance jam.

  An object of the present invention is to provide means for solving the above problems.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a pair of tractor belts having sprocket pins inserted into sprocket holes at both ends of a sheet in the width direction of the sheet, and conveys the sheet by rotating the tractor belt. An adjustment mechanism for shifting the phase of the sprocket pin of one tractor belt and the sprocket pin of the other tractor belt in accordance with the phase shift of the sprocket holes at both ends of the paper is provided on the one tractor belt side. Features.

  As a result, even when the phases of the sprocket holes at both ends of the paper are shifted, the present invention moves only one of the tractor belts in accordance with the phase shift, and the positions of the sprocket pins provided on the two tractor belts. The phase difference can be matched with the phase shift of the sprocket holes, and the effect of preventing skewing when the paper is conveyed can be obtained.

Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the printing apparatus of Example 1. FIG. Explanatory drawing showing the structure of the tractor section Explanatory drawing which shows a mode that the phase shift of Example 1 was adjusted. Explanatory drawing which shows a mode that the position adjustment wheel was rotated. Explanatory drawing showing the position of a general sprocket pin Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the printing apparatus of Example 2. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the tractor part of Example 2. Explanatory drawing which shows a mode that the phase shift in Example 2 was adjusted. Explanatory drawing showing position accuracy of sprocket holes

  Embodiments of a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a printing apparatus as a sheet conveying apparatus.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes a tractor unit. The drive shaft 3 and the lock shaft 4 are arranged to face each other at a predetermined interval, and both end portions of each shaft are held by side frames (not shown). An adjustable tractor unit 7 is arranged at a predetermined interval from one side frame to the other side frame, and a fixed tractor unit 8 is arranged at a predetermined interval toward the other side frame. The adjustable tractor unit 7 and the fixed tractor unit 8 are driven to convey the paper.

  Reference numeral 10 denotes a platen, which is formed in a circular cross section and is arranged downstream of the tractor unit 2 in the paper transport direction. The adjustable tractor unit 7 and the fixed tractor by the LF motor described above via a drive mechanism (not shown). It rotates in synchronization with the drive of the unit 8.

  A printing unit 12 includes a carriage shaft 13 having a circular cross section, a slide rail 14 having a U-shaped cross section, a carriage 16 having a print head 15 attached thereto, and the like. The carriage shaft 13 and the slide rail 14 are connected to the platen 10. The carriage 16 is mounted between the carriage shaft 13 and the slide rail 14 so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the carriage shaft 13 and the slide rail 14. Print on the paper wrapped around.

  The carriage 16 has a hole on one side through which the carriage shaft 13 is inserted, and an end on the other side has irregularities that engage with a U-shaped portion of the slide rail 14. Then, the end portion on one side is inserted into the carriage shaft 13 and the end portion on the other side is engaged with the slide rail 14, so that the carriage 16 is held slidably.

  Here, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the structure of the tractor section, where (a) shows the structure of the adjustable tractor section 7 and (b) shows the structure of the fixed tractor section 8.

  First, the adjustable tractor unit 7 includes a wheel inner 20 through which the drive shaft 3 is inserted, a phase adjusting wheel 21, a tractor belt 23, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the wheel inner 20 is formed by a rectangular hole whose inner periphery is matched with the cross-sectional shape of the drive shaft 3, and the outer periphery is formed in a gear shape.

  The phase adjustment wheel 21 has a structure in which a gear portion 21a having a gear shape on the outer periphery and a knob portion 21b having a knob shape are combined, and the gear portion 21a has such a size that the wheel inner 20 can be fitted inside. A hole 22 is formed, and a latch 22 is provided on the inner peripheral portion, which is a leaf spring shape and has a locking claw whose tip is inserted into one of the grooves on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel inner 20.

  The knob portion 21 b is a rectangular hole whose inner circumference matches the cross-sectional shape of the drive shaft 3, and is positioned so as to protrude to the outside of the tractor belt 23 when the adjustable tractor portion 7 is configured.

  The tractor belt 23 is an endless belt in which a plurality of sprocket pins 24 are formed at a predetermined interval on the outer peripheral surface, and an uneven surface that meshes with the gear of the phase adjusting wheel 21 is formed on the inner peripheral portion.

  Next, the fixed tractor unit 8 includes a reference wheel 26 through which the drive shaft 3 is inserted, a tractor belt 23, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the reference wheel 26 is a combination of a gear portion 26a having a gear shape meshing with an uneven surface of the inner peripheral portion of the tractor belt 23 and a knob portion 26b having a knob shape. The gear portion 26a and the knob portion 26b are formed with square holes that match the cross-sectional shape of the drive shaft 3.

  The adjustable tractor portion 7 and the fixed tractor portion 8 are covered with the tractor covers 7a and 8a shown in FIG. 1, and the knob portions 21b and 26b are both exposed to the outside of the tractor covers 7a and 8a. ing.

  The tractor covers 7a and 8a are cut at portions corresponding to the entire circumference of the tractor belt 23 on which the sprocket pins 24 are provided.

  Further, the adjustable tractor portion 7 and the fixed tractor portion 8 are provided so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the drive shaft 3 and the guide shaft 4. 7 and the fixed tractor 8 are moved.

  The operation of the above configuration will be described.

  Here, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the phase shift of Example 1 is adjusted, (a) shows a state where the paper is inclined, and (b) shows a state where the phase is adjusted. ing. 4A and 4B are explanatory views showing a state in which the position adjusting wheel is rotated. FIG. 4A is a state before the position adjusting wheel is rotated, FIG. 4B is a state in which the latch is removed from the groove, and FIG. 4C is a position adjusting wheel. Indicates a state rotated by one phase.

  In FIG. 3, reference numeral 30 denotes a horizontal reference line, which is a line indicating a reference for the normal conveyance direction of paper, and is written on a frame or the like (not shown) to handle the printing apparatus 1 and perform internal adjustments or the like. Is visible.

  When the sprocket holes provided at both ends of the paper are shifted from side to side, the front end of the paper P set and the horizontal reference line 30 are not parallel to each other as shown in FIG. End up.

  A procedure for adjusting the orientation of the paper so that the front edge of the paper is parallel to the horizontal reference line 30 will be described below.

  Usually, the latch 22 of the position adjusting wheel 21 is in a state of being engaged with a tooth between the teeth on the outer periphery of the wheel inner 20 as shown in FIG.

  In this state, when a staff member handling the printing apparatus 1 manually supports the knob portion 26b of the reference wheel 26 and fixes the drive shaft 3 with the hand shaft 3 fixed, the position of the knob portion 21b of the position adjusting wheel 21 is manually rotated. The adjustment wheel 21 rotates in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 4 (b), and the latch 22 comes out of the groove on the outer periphery of the wheel inner 20 and meshes with the adjacent groove by one pitch as shown in FIG. 4 (c). The tractor belt 23 meshing with the outer periphery of the adjustment wheel 21 rotates, and the sprocket pin 24 of the adjustable tractor portion 7 moves to shift the phases of the sprocket pins 24 between the adjustable tractor portion 7 and the fixed tractor portion 8.

  Thus, by rotating the position adjusting wheel 21 while supporting the reference wheel 26 and fixing the drive shaft 3, the position of the sprocket pin 24 of the adjustable tractor portion 7 is changed by the pitch of the groove of the inner wheel 20. The phase of the sprocket pin 24 between the adjustable tractor portion 7 and the fixed tractor portion 8 is adjusted in accordance with the amount of phase shift between the sprocket holes at both ends of the paper, and the front edge of the paper as shown in FIG. And the horizontal reference line 30 can be aligned.

  Then, when a staff member operates an operation means such as a keyboard or mouse of a personal computer (not shown) as a host device and a paper feed command is sent from the personal computer to the printing device 1, the printing device 1 uses a line feed motor (not shown). By driving, the adjustable tractor unit 7, the fixed tractor unit 8, and the platen 10 are rotated, and the paper is wound around the platen 10 and conveyed.

  Next, the printing apparatus 1 that has received a print command from a personal computer (host apparatus) or the like drives a space motor (not shown) to move the carriage 16 in the left-right direction, and prints on a sheet by the print head 15 in accordance with the printing timing. Execute.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the position of the sprocket pin of the adjustable tractor is shifted and changed in accordance with the paper whose sprocket holes on both the left and right sides are out of phase, and the front edge of the paper is aligned with the horizontal reference line. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the sheet from being conveyed while being skewed.

  Further, in the general printing apparatus, as shown in the explanatory view showing the position of the general sprocket pin in FIG. Since the configuration does not rotate manually like the adjustable tractor, the paper is inclined when the paper with the phase of the left and right sprocket holes not matching is set. In this embodiment, the tractor of the adjustable tractor Since the belt can be manually rotated, it is possible to prevent the sheet from being inclined and to reliably prevent the sheet from being skewed when the sheet is conveyed.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the tractor unit according to the second example, (a) illustrates the adjustable tractor unit, and (b) illustrates a fixed state. The type | formula tractor part is shown.

  In addition, the same part as the said Example 1 attaches | subjects the same code | symbol, and abbreviate | omits the description.

  In FIG. 6, reference numeral 35 denotes an adjustable tractor unit, which is composed of a wheel inner 36 through which the drive shaft 3 is inserted, a back wheel 37, a tractor belt 23, and the like as shown in FIG.

  The wheel inner 36 forms a hole whose inner periphery is a square shape matching the cross-sectional shape of the drive shaft 3, and a groove 36 a is provided in a part of the outer periphery.

  The play wheel 37 is formed with a hole having a size to fit the wheel inner 36, and a protrusion 37a formed smaller than the width of the groove 36a is provided at a part of the inner peripheral portion of the hole. Further, the backlash wheel 37 has a gear shape on the outer periphery.

  The wheel inner 36 is fitted to the backlash wheel 37 in a state in which the projection 37 a enters the groove 36 a of the backlash wheel 37.

  Here, since the protrusion 37a is smaller than the groove 36a, the backlash wheel 37 has a structure in which the protrusion 37a has backlash in the rotation direction within the range where the protrusion 37a hits both ends of the groove 36a of the wheel inner 36. It is assumed that the amount of play 37 is substantially the same as the distance between the sprocket pins 24 provided on the tractor belt 23.

  Although the amount of movement of the backlash wheel 37 due to this backlash is substantially the same as the interval between the sprocket pins 24, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this.

  In FIG. 6, reference numeral 40 denotes a fixed tractor portion, which is constituted by a reference wheel 41 through which the drive shaft 3 is inserted, a tractor belt 23, and the like, as shown in FIG. 7B.

  The reference wheel 41 is formed with a quadrangular hole that matches the cross-sectional shape of the drive shaft 3, and the outer periphery has a gear shape that meshes with the uneven surface of the inner peripheral portion of the tractor belt 23.

  The adjustable tractor 35 is structured to have a backlash in the rotational direction for the purpose of absorbing a shift in the paper where the phase shift between the left and right sprocket holes is large. Although there may be a delay in the rotation operation of the tractor belt 23 due to the play caused by the above, when the tractor belt 23 rotates while the paper is set, the paper is transported without breaking the posture at the time of setting. In addition, the frictional force between the parts of the wheel inner 36, the backlash wheel 37, and the tractor belt 23 is configured to be small.

  Further, the distance between the adjustable tractor portion 35 and the fixed tractor portion 40 is such that the side edge of the sheet is in a normal direction and parallel to a vertical reference line 45 described below, and the tension is laterally stretched. The interval is set to be set.

  The operation of the above configuration will be described.

  Here, FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the phase shift is adjusted in the second embodiment, where (a) shows a state in which the paper is inclined and (b) shows a state in which the phase is adjusted. ing.

  In FIG. 8B, reference numeral 45 denotes a vertical reference line, which indicates the direction of the side edge of the sheet along the transport direction.

  When the phases of the sprocket holes provided at both ends of the paper do not coincide with each other on the left and right, the paper is inclined as shown in FIG.

  Therefore, as described above, the tractor belt 23 rotates within the movement range in which the wheel inner 20 is moved by backlash. Therefore, the clerk directly moves the sprocket pin 24 of the adjustable tractor portion 35 by hand and moves the position to the sprocket hole of the paper. Set the paper according to.

  The paper set at this time is inserted so that the outer side of the sprocket hole at one side abuts against the sprocket pin 24 of the fixed tractor unit 40. As a result, one side edge of the sheet becomes parallel to the vertical reference line 45 as shown in FIG.

  Then, the paper is set in the lateral direction, the sprocket holes on the other side end are inserted into the sprocket pins 24 of the adjustable tractor portion 35, and the paper is set.

  Here, when the phase shift of the sprocket pin 24 between the fixed tractor portion 40 and the adjustable tractor portion 35 does not match the phase shift of the sprocket hole of the paper, one side of the paper is parallel to the vertical reference line 45. On the other hand, since the other side edge is not parallel to the vertical reference line 45, stress is generated and the surface is wrinkled. However, the tractor belt 23 of the adjustable tractor unit 35 is free of play so as to release the stress generated on the paper. The sprocket pin 24 moves by rotating within the range, and the paper is in a wrinkle-free state.

  Then, when a staff member operates an operation means such as a keyboard or mouse of a personal computer (not shown) as a host device and a paper feed command is sent from the personal computer to the printing device 1, the printing device 1 uses a line feed motor (not shown). By driving, the adjustable tractor unit 35, the fixed tractor unit 40, and the platen 10 rotate to convey the paper.

  At this time, if the paper is not set, the adjustable tractor unit 35 rotates behind the fixed tractor unit 40 due to play, but if the paper is set, the adjustable tractor unit 35 is fixed. The tractor unit 40 rotates simultaneously with the fixed tractor unit 40 so as to follow the moving sheet.

  As a result, the paper is wound around the platen 10, and the printing apparatus 1 that has received a printing command from a personal computer (higher level apparatus) or the like then drives a space motor (not shown) to move the carriage 16 in the left-right direction to match the printing timing. Then, printing on the paper is executed by the print head 15.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the tractor belt of the adjustable tractor unit rotates by the amount of play, so that the tractor belt of the adjustable tractor unit matches the paper whose sprocket holes are out of phase at the left and right ends. The position of the sprocket pin can be changed by rotation within the range of play, the paper can be set in a normal orientation, and the conveyed paper can be prevented from skewing.

  In the case of Japan, the position accuracy of the sprocket hole of the paper is defined in JIS-X6195-, and as shown in the explanatory view showing the position accuracy of the sprocket hole in FIG. The maximum allowable deviation between the straight line perpendicular to the center line and the center of the right sprocket hole corresponding to the center line is 0.15 mm. In the case of a bad sheet, skew or a conveyance jam occurs more frequently when the sheet is conveyed as in the above-described prior art.

  For this reason, by using the first and second embodiments described above, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of skew, conveyance jam, and the like due to skew with respect to the paper with poor positional accuracy of the sprocket holes. The effect that conveyance can be performed is acquired.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing apparatus 2 Tractor unit 3 Drive shaft 4 Lock shaft 7, 35 Adjustable tractor part 8, 40 Fixed type tractor part 10 Platen 12 Printing unit 13 Carriage shaft 14 Slide rail 15 Print head 16 Carriage 20, 36 Wheel inner 21 Position adjustment Wheel 21a, 26a Gear portion 21b, 26b Knob portion 22 Latch 23 Tractor belt 24 Sprocket pin 26, 41 Reference wheel 30 Horizontal reference line 36a Groove portion 37 Gutter wheel 37a Protrusion portion 45 Vertical reference line

Claims (6)

A paper transporting device for transporting paper by providing a pair of tractor belts having sprocket pins to be inserted into sprocket holes at both ends of the paper in the width direction of the paper and rotating the tractor belt,
A paper conveying apparatus characterized in that an adjusting mechanism for shifting the phase between the sprocket pin of one tractor belt and the sprocket pin of the other tractor belt is provided on the one tractor belt side in accordance with the phase deviation of the sprocket holes at both ends of the paper. . In the paper conveying apparatus according to claim 1,
The adjusting mechanism includes a gear-shaped inner wheel through which a drive shaft of the tractor belt is inserted and a mountain and a groove are continuous, and a latch that enters an outer peripheral groove of the inner wheel at an inner peripheral portion, and the inner It consists of a position adjustment wheel that fits the wheel,
Wrap the one tractor belt around the position adjustment wheel,
The paper conveyance system, wherein the position of the sprocket pin can be adjusted by the pitch of the groove by rotating the one tractor belt by rotating the position adjusting wheel while the drive shaft is fixed. apparatus. In the paper conveying apparatus according to claim 1,
The adjusting mechanism includes an inner wheel in which a drive shaft of the tractor belt is inserted and a groove is formed in a part of the outer periphery, and a protrusion that enters the groove with a width smaller than the width of the groove on an inner peripheral portion. It has a position adjustment wheel with the inner wheel fitted inside,
Wrap the one tractor belt around the position adjustment wheel,
With the drive shaft fixed, the position of the sprocket pin can be adjusted by rotating the one tractor belt using the difference between the groove width of the inner wheel and the protrusion width of the position adjusting wheel. A sheet conveying apparatus characterized by being configured as described above. A pair of tractor belts provided with a print head and having sprocket pins to be inserted into sprocket holes at both ends of the paper are provided in the width direction of the paper, and the paper is conveyed by rotating the tractor belt and conveyed by the print head. A printing device for printing on paper,
A printing apparatus, wherein an adjustment mechanism for shifting a phase between a sprocket pin of one tractor belt and a sprocket pin of the other tractor belt is provided on the one tractor belt side in accordance with a phase shift of sprocket holes at both ends of the sheet. The printing apparatus according to claim 4,
The adjustment mechanism has a gear-shaped inner wheel through which the drive shaft of the tractor belt is inserted, and a latch that enters a groove on the outer periphery of the inner wheel on the inner periphery, and the position adjustment wheel on which the inner wheel fits inside And consist of
Wrap the one tractor belt around the position adjustment wheel,
The position of the sprocket pin can be changed at the pitch of the groove by rotating the one tractor belt at the pitch of the groove by rotating the position adjusting wheel with the drive shaft fixed. Characteristic printing device. The printing apparatus according to claim 4,
The adjusting mechanism includes an inner wheel in which a drive shaft of the tractor belt is inserted and a groove is formed in a part of the outer periphery, and a protrusion that enters the groove with a width smaller than the width of the groove on an inner peripheral portion. It has a position adjustment wheel with the inner wheel fitted inside,
Wrap the one tractor belt around the position adjustment wheel,
With the drive shaft fixed, the position of the sprocket pin can be adjusted by rotating the one tractor belt using the difference between the groove width of the inner wheel and the protrusion width of the position adjusting wheel. A printing apparatus characterized by the above.

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