JP2014166861A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a label printer which issues labels by favorably peeling a mount and labels attached to the mount from each other.SOLUTION: The label printer includes: a feed roller feeding a mount on which a plurality of labels are stuck and which is formed in a rolled state, toward a downstream side from an upstream side; a printing head performing printing on the labels; and a peeling plate abutting to the back surface of the mount, having two adjacent faces to form an acute angle part, and provided with a peeling projection part which projects to the side of the mount at a center part viewed from the downstream side in a mount feeding direction and also has an apex part at the upstream side in the mount feeding direction relative to the acute angle part, on one face of the two faces, and peeling the label from the mount.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a label printer that prints and issues predetermined content on a label sheet.

  2. Description of the Related Art There is a label printer that prints a predetermined content on a label on a long mount with a plurality of labels attached, and then issues it. When this label is peeled off from the mount and issued, a release plate having two adjacent surfaces with an acute angle is provided on the transport path of the printer, and the mount on which the label is attached is conveyed along the acute angle surface of the release plate. Let At this time, although the mount is conveyed along an acute angle surface, the label peels off from the mount without being along the acute angle surface due to the stiffness. In this way, the label is peeled off from the mount.

  When transporting a mount on which a label is attached along an acute angle surface of a release plate having two adjacent surfaces that have an acute angle, a certain amount of tension was applied to the mount on which the label is attached to the release plate. When the contact is made in a state where the tension is weak, there is a problem that the label does not peel from the mount.

  However, if the mount on which the label is affixed comes into contact with the release plate in a state of strong tension, the release plate will bend, which causes the central part in the width direction of the label to peel off compared to both ends. It becomes difficult to do. For this reason, it is also known to provide an arch-shaped release plate that protrudes from the center of the release plate as compared to both ends. However, there is a case where the tension when the mount on which the label is stuck to the peeling plate abuts is changed by the conveyance, and the peeling at the center and both ends in the width direction of the label may not be the same.

JP 2001-261226 A

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a label printer in which the peeling of the label from the mount at the center and both ends in the width direction of the label is the same.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned problems, a feed roller that transports a plurality of labels pasted and wrapped in a roll shape from the upstream side toward the downstream side, a print head that performs printing on the label, and a back surface of the mount And has two adjacent surfaces that become an acute angle portion, one surface of the two surfaces protrudes toward the mount side from the downstream side in the transport direction of the mount and protrudes toward the mount side from the acute angle portion. A label printer is provided with a peeling plate provided with a peeling protrusion having an apex on the upstream side in the board conveying direction, which peels the label from the board.

FIG. 3 is a main part configuration diagram of the label printer according to the first embodiment. Explanatory drawing of the mount which affixed the label which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Explanatory drawing of the mount which affixed the label which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a control circuit configuration of the label printer according to the first embodiment. The shape explanatory view of the exfoliation board concerning a 1st embodiment. The shape explanatory view of the exfoliation board concerning a 1st embodiment. The shape explanatory view of the exfoliation board concerning other embodiments. The shape explanatory view of the exfoliation board concerning other embodiments. The shape explanatory view of the exfoliation board concerning other embodiments.

  Hereinafter, a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a main configuration of the label printer 10. In this printer, a long mount 11 with a plurality of labels 12 attached is conveyed from the right side to the left side of the drawing, so in the following description, the right side in the drawing is the upstream side and the left side is the downstream side. And In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a long mount 11 wound around a winding shaft 13, and the winding shaft 13 is rotatably supported by the label printer 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the mount 11 has a plurality of labels 12 attached thereto. In addition, the thing of FIG. 2 is normally called an inner winding label, and the thing of FIG. 3 is usually called an outer winding label.

  An idler roller 14 is rotatably supported on the downstream side of the wound mount 11, and a lower surface conveyance guide 15 is provided downstream of the idler roller 14, and an upper surface conveyance guide 16 is provided above the lower surface conveyance guide 15. The mount 11 on which the label 12 is attached is transported between the lower surface transport guide 15 and the upper surface transport guide 16 as a mount transport path 17.

  Further, downstream of the idler roller 14, a feed roller 18 that can be rotated by a motor (not shown) and an idler roller 19 that is opposed to the feed roller 18 with the mount conveyance path 17 interposed therebetween are arranged. .

  A label position sensor 20 that detects the position of the label 12 affixed to the mount 11 is disposed downstream of the feed roller 18. The label position sensor 20 is a transmissive sensor, and a light emitting sensor is provided on one side and a light receiving sensor is provided on the other side of the mount conveyance path 17. Although a transmission type sensor has been described here, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a reflection type sensor may be used.

  Further, downstream of the label position sensor 20, a platen roller 21 that can be rotated by a motor (not shown), and a thermal print head 22 that is opposed to the platen roller 21 with the mount conveyance path 17 interposed therebetween are arranged. The platen roller 21 and the thermal print head 22 constitute a printing unit 23.

  When the mount 11 is transported downstream on the mount transport path 17, the thermal print head 22 prints one line at a time on the label 12 attached on the mount 11 in accordance with the transport of the mount 11. ing.

  The surface of the label 12 is provided with a heat-sensitive layer that develops color when heated, and the thermal print head 22 generates heat to perform predetermined printing on the surface of the label 12. When the label 12 without the heat sensitive layer is used, it is necessary to provide an ink ribbon between the label 12 and the thermal print head 22 so that the heated portion melts and is transferred to the surface of the label 12 when heated.

  The thermal print head 22 is pressed by the platen roller 21, and sends the mount 11 and the label 12 to the downstream side by friction between the thermal print head 22 and the platen roller 21.

  A peeling plate 24 is disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction of the printing unit 23. The label 12 attached to the mount 11 is peeled from the mount 11 by the release plate 24. The peeled label 12 is discharged to the outside through the discharge port 25, and the mount 11 from which the label 12 has been peeled is taken up by the rear take-up roller 27 via the idler roller 26.

  A label discharge sensor 28 is provided at the discharge port 25.

  In addition, a display 29 is provided above the discharge port 25 to display a paper jam or out of label of the mount 11 on which the label 12 is attached.

  FIG. 4 shows the control unit 50 of the printer 10 described above. The control unit 50 includes means for controlling the mount and label transport, printing, label discharge, printer status display, and mount winding.

  The control unit 50 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer that links with the host computer 51 and executes various controls. A central processing unit (MPU) 52 of the control unit 50 performs various controls and operations such as mount and label transport control, print control, label discharge control, printer status display control, and mount winding control according to a program. The MPU 52 includes a timer 53 as means for performing time setting and time control.

  A ROM 54 and a RAM 55 are installed as main storage means for storing a control program executed by the MPU 52 and data during control or calculation. The ROM 54 is a read-only memory having a control program and the like, and the RAM 55 is an occasional write memory for storing data and the like during calculation.

  Further, the control unit 50 is provided with an input / output unit (I / O) 56 for taking in various input data from the host computer 51 and taking out the control output of the control unit 50 to the host computer 51. Yes. The I / O 56 is linked to the MPU 52, the ROM 54, and the RAM 55 through a bus.

  The I / O 56 is connected with first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth drivers 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62 as means for taking out the control output. Has been.

  The driver 57 supplies necessary drive output to the printing unit 23. The driver 58 supplies a driving output to the feed roller 18. The driver 59 supplies a drive output to the label position sensor 20. The driver 60 supplies a driving output to the winding roller 27. The driver 61 supplies a drive output to the label discharge sensor 28. The driver 62 supplies a display drive output for causing the display 29 to perform various displays.

  The printing unit 23 includes a thermal print head 22 and a platen roller 21 as shown in FIG. The platen roller 21 is driven to rotate in synchronization with a printing operation by a motor (not shown) based on a control output as command means of the MPU 52. The thermal print head 22 prints on the label 12 based on print data from the host computer 51.

  In addition, the MPU 52 of the control unit 50 drives the feed roller 18 via the driver 58 to convey the mount 11 on which the label 12 is attached in the downstream direction.

  Further, the MPU 52 of the control unit 50 drives the label position sensor 20 via the driver 59 to obtain the position information of the label 12.

  Further, the MPU 52 of the control unit 50 drives the winding roller 27 via the driver 60 to wind the mount 11.

  The MPU 52 of the control unit 50 drives the label discharge sensor 28 via the driver 61 to determine whether the label after printing has been removed.

  Further, the MPU 52 of the control unit 50 displays various information of the label printer 10 on the display device 29 via the driver 62.

  Next, the operation of the label printer 10 will be described. The control unit 50 performs the transport of the label 11 affixed to the mount 11 and the mount 11 and the printing operation on the label 12 according to the program stored in the ROM 54.

  First, the mount 11 and the label 12 affixed to the mount 11 are pulled out, passed through the idler roller 14, then passed through the mount transport path 17, and then the acute angle of the peeling plate 24 having two adjacent surfaces that become acute angles. Then, after passing through the idler roller 26, the tip is wound around the winding roller 27.

  Note that when the mount 11 and the label 12 attached to the mount 11 are set in the label printer 10 first, the label 12 attached to the head portion is wasted. For this reason, when the mount 11 on which the label 12 is pasted is set in the label printer 10, the distance from the printing unit 23 to the take-up roller 27 via the release plate 24 is approximately equal to the leading portion of the mount 11. It is desirable not to stick to.

  When a print request is input from the host computer 51 in this state, the control unit 50 drives the feed roller 18 to convey the mount 11 with the label 12 attached downstream. Thereafter, the label position sensor 20 detects the position of the label 12. Detection of the position of the label 12, the transmittance of the portion where the label 12 is pasted on the mount 11 (the portion where the mount 11 and the label 12 overlap) and the label 12 between the label 12 and the label 12 exist The transmittance of only the mount 11 that is not (the A portion in FIGS. 2 and 3) is different. From this difference in transmittance, it is possible to detect the attachment position of the label 12, and the mount 11 and the label 12 are conveyed by a specified amount from the attachment position, and printing is started from the top position of the label 12.

  When predetermined printing is performed on the label 12 by the printing unit 23, the mount 11 to which the label 12 is attached is transported to the downstream method by the cooperation of the thermal print head 22 and the platen roller 21.

  Thereafter, the mount 11 on which the label 12 is affixed is conveyed along the acute angle surface of the release plate 24 having two adjacent surfaces that are acute angles.

  When the mount 11 on which the label 12 is affixed is transported along the acute angle surface of the release plate 24, the label 12 is peeled from the mount 11 by the stiffness without following the mount 11 that changes the transport direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the label 12 stops transporting in a state where the label 12 is partially peeled off from the mount 11 and the peeled portion has reached the detectable range of the label discharge sensor 28. If the next label 12 is issued before the operator removes the peeled label 12, the label 12 that is not removed falls and becomes unusable. In order to prevent this, a label discharge sensor 28 is provided.

  The label discharge sensor 28 is a reflective sensor and can detect whether a label is present within the detectable range.

  As described above, the conveyance of the mount 11 on which the label 12 is affixed is stopped in a state where the label 12 is partially peeled from the mount 11 and the peeled portion has reached the detectable range of the label discharge sensor 28. In this case, the light emitted from the light emitting unit (not shown) of the label discharge sensor 28 reaches the light receiving unit (not shown) of the label discharge sensor 28 after being reflected by the label 12. Accordingly, the label discharge sensor 28 determines that the issued label 12 remains without being removed.

  When the operator removes the issued label 12 from the mount 11 to attach it to an article or the like, the light emitted from the light emitting unit (not shown) of the label discharge sensor 28 is not reflected by the label 12, so that the label discharge sensor 28 It does not reach the light receiving unit (not shown). Thus, the label discharge sensor 28 determines that the issued label 12 has been removed, and issues the next label 12. When the next label is issued, the take-up roller 27 takes up the mount 11 in synchronization with the conveyance of the mount 11 to which the label 12 is attached. As a result, labels 12 on which predetermined contents are printed are sequentially issued.

  In addition, the label 12 is peeled from the mount 11 by transporting the mount 11 with the label 12 pasted on the release plate 24 provided on the label printer 1 and having two adjacent surfaces with acute angles. However, when transporting the mount 11 on which the label 12 is adhered along the acute angle surface of the release plate 24 having two adjacent surfaces having an acute angle, the mount on which the label 12 is attached to the release plate 24. 11 is brought into contact with a certain amount of tension, and if the contact is made in a state where the tension is weak, there is a problem that the label 12 does not peel from the mount 11.

  An idler roller 26 is provided to adjust the tension, and the idler roller 26 prevents the tension from being too strong or too weak. However, the idler roller 26 may not be able to adjust the tension due to uneven rotation of the winding roller 27 or the like.

  If the contact is made with a weak tension, a peeling failure occurs. Therefore, the backing sheet to which the label is attached is brought into contact with a certain amount of tension. As a result, the center portion in the width direction of the label 12 is less likely to peel off than both end portions. In order to prevent this, it is also known to use an arch type peeling plate in which the central portion of the peeling plate 24 projects from both ends. However, the tension at the time of winding by the winding roller 27 may change. In the arch-type peeling plate 24 in which the thickness of the central portion and both ends of the peeling plate 24 is the same, the label 12 is centered in the width direction. There is a possibility that the separation between the part and the both ends is not always the same.

  Particularly difficult to peel off is what is called the externally wound label shown in FIG. 3, and if held in this state for a long time, the label 12 will be curled, and a peeling error will easily occur.

  For this reason, in one embodiment of the present invention, when viewed from the downstream side in the transport direction of the mount 11, the peeling plate 24 has a shape in which the thickness is not the same at the center and both ends, and the center protrudes. At the same time, it is characterized in that there is a protrusion having a vertex portion on the upstream side in the transport direction of the mount 11 from the acute angle portion of the peeling plate 24 when viewed from the transport direction of the mount 11.

  This will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 shows the peeling plate 24 (X direction in FIG. 1) seen from the downstream side in the transport direction of the mount 11, and FIG. 6 shows the peeling plate 24 seen from the front side in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, when viewed from the downstream side in the transport direction of the mount 11, the release plate 24 has a shape in which a release protrusion 30 is provided at the center thereof, and the thickness at the center and both ends of the release plate 24. Are not the same, and the central portion protrudes by x as compared with both end portions.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, when viewed from the transport direction of the mount 11, the release plate 24 has a shape in which the apex portion of the release protrusion 30 exists on the upstream side in the transport direction of the mount 11 from the acute angle portion. The apex of the protrusion exists at a distance of y from the acute angle portion 24 on the upstream side in the transport direction.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the center part protrudes compared with both ends. Thereby, it becomes possible to pull more strongly than the case where there is no protrusion in the central portion of the mount 11. Further, since the thickness is not the same between the central portion and both end portions of the peeling plate 24, even if the winding tension of the mount 11 by the winding roller 27 is changed, the protrusion at the central portion of the peeling plate 24 is caused by this tension. The shape does not change and stable peeling is achieved.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the mount 11 is bent at the acute angle portion P and then wound by the take-up roller 27, but the label 12 is transported in the transport direction of the mount 11 immediately before reaching the acute angle portion P. When viewed from the side, since the apex of the protrusion exists at an upstream side in the transport direction of the mount 11 from the acute angle portion of the peeling plate, the mount 11 is bent in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction by the protrusion. It has become stronger. For this reason, the label 12 is peeled off without being wound together with the mount 11.

  Note that the distance y between the acute angle portion P of the peeling plate 24 and the apex portion of the peeling protrusion 30 in FIG. 6 is preferably about 5 to 15 millimeters. With this length, the backing paper 11 and the label 12 are stably peeled off.

  There are many types of mounts 11 and labels 12, which are sold by each company. Considering the relationship between the mount 11 and the label 12, for example, the width of the label 12 is narrower or wider than the width of the mount 11, the stiffness of the label 12 is much stronger or weaker than the stiffness of the mount 11, The label 12 and the mount 11 are easily curled. Due to this difference, the shape of the peeling protrusion 30 in the optimum peeling plate 24 is also different. For this reason, the peeling protrusion 30 may be attached to and detached from the peeling plate 24 without being integrated with the peeling plate 24.

  Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.

  In another embodiment shown in FIG. 7, when viewed from the carrying direction of the mount 11, the apex portion of the peeling protrusion is present upstream from the acute angle portion of the peeling plate 24 in the carrying direction of the mount 11. Further, the downstream portion in the transport direction from the apex of the protrusion has a vertical wall shape.

  In another embodiment shown in FIG. 8, when viewed from the carrying direction of the mount 11, the apex portion of the peeling protrusion is present upstream from the acute angle portion of the peeling plate 24 in the carrying direction of the mount 11. Further, the upstream portion in the transport direction from the apex of the protrusion has a vertical wall shape.

  In another embodiment shown in FIG. 9, when viewed from the carrying direction of the mount 11, a peeling protrusion is present upstream from the acute angle portion of the peeling plate 24 in the carrying direction of the mount 11. Note that the peeling protrusions are not in the shape of an arc but in the shape of a vertical wall on the upstream side in the board transport direction and the downstream side in the board transport direction.

  For example, when only the stiffness of the label is strong, the shape as shown in FIG. 7 is desirable, and when using a material with a weak stiffness of the mount 11, not only the peelability of the mount 11 and the label 12 is considered, In order to prevent tearing of the mount 11 after the label 12 is peeled off, a shape as shown in FIG. 8 in which the change of the mount 11 from the peeling protrusion 30 to the acute angle portion P is small and gentle is desirable.

  Further, when both the mount 11 and the label 12 are strong, a shape as shown in FIG. 9 is desirable.

  As described above, the holding protrusions 30 that are optimum for a plurality of types of labels to be used are respectively held, and the mounting protrusions 30 are changed according to the labels to be used, so that the mount 11 and the label 12 can be more easily separated and the mount Thus, it is possible to provide a label printer that does not cause 11 winding problems.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

10: Label printer 11: Mount 12: Label 21: Platen roller 22: Thermal print head
24: Release plate 27: Winding roller
30: peeling protrusion

Claims (2)

A feed roller that conveys a plurality of labels attached to each other in a winding shape from the upstream side to the downstream side;
A print head for printing on the label;
The back surface of the mount is abutted and has two adjacent surfaces that form an acute angle portion, and one surface of the two surfaces protrudes toward the mount side in the central portion when viewed from the downstream side in the transport direction of the mount. A label printer comprising a peeling plate for peeling the label from the mount, the peeling protrusion having an apex on the upstream side in the board conveyance direction from the acute angle portion.   The label printer according to claim 1, wherein the peeling protrusion and the peeling plate are separable.

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