JP2023060990A - recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a recording device that performs cueing of a tip of a recording medium by back feed, which can prevent a tube from floating up, so as to convey the medium stably.SOLUTION: A recording device, which performs printing on at least two kinds of objects to be printed of a printing tape and a tube that is supplied without becoming flat while sandwiching the objects between a printing head and a platen roller, is configured so that a supply roller pair that supplies media to a print part is provided in the printing tape and at an upstream side of a print part of the tube and a conveying roller that conveys the tube while bending the tube along the platen roller is provided in the platen roller opposing to the printing head, which is further configured so that conveyance amounts by the supply roller pair become smaller as approaching a conveyance reference surface in a width direction of the supply roller pair.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that prints on a tube-shaped recording medium and a sheet-shaped recording medium.

Predetermined data such as characters and symbols are printed on a flexible tube-shaped (cylindrical) recording medium such as a mark tube (hereinafter referred to as a tube) or a printing tape (hereinafter referred to as a tape), and the printed A tube or tape is attached to the wire. Also, recording devices for printing on such tubes and tapes are already known. Such a recording apparatus includes a platen (roller) and a print head such as a thermal head, which are arranged facing each other.
In this type of recording device, when printing on the surface of the tube, the tube is pressed between the platen and the print head, and the tube is flattened or flattened (deformed) for printing. Is going. The tube is printed while being nipped between a platen, a supply roller arranged upstream of the platen, and a conveying roller arranged downstream of the platen, and conveyed to the tube cutting section. A tape as a print medium is supplied in a form housed in a cassette case, and the printer is provided with a mounting portion for the cassette case. Since the distance from the tape delivery opening of the cassette case to the platen roller is short, the tape sent to the platen roller travels in a stable state.
On the other hand, the tube is supplied in a roll-like state so that it can be drawn out freely, and the long tube passes through the apparatus alone. Therefore, there is a problem that the running state of the tube sent to the platen roller is not stable. If the tube sent to the platen roller moves in the direction of travel, especially in the direction along the surface of the platen roller, there is a problem that printing errors such as misalignment of the printing position occur.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-27242

In view of this, there is provided, on the upstream side of the printing means, a running guide means for positioning and supporting a long tubular print medium in a radial direction crossing the running direction. A configuration is proposed that includes a pressing portion that is inclined with respect to a guide surface that has another surface that is erected from the bottom and that has elasticity, and a spring portion that supports the pressing portion while being inclined along the running direction of the print medium. It is (Patent document 1)
On the other hand, when printing on a continuous recording medium, it is generally known that in the next printing after the end of printing, backfeed is performed to keep the amount of margin at the leading edge constant, and the position of the leading edge is detected and printed. It is
At this time, in the case of an elastic member such as a tube, when the backfeed is performed as described above, if the pressing force of the guide is large, the elastic member may buckle, resulting in a transport error.
In addition, when a tube with a small diameter is used or in a high-temperature environment, the stiffness of the tube becomes even weaker, which causes frequent transport failures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised to solve such problems, and in a recording apparatus that performs a head positioning operation of the leading end of a recording medium by backfeeding, it is possible to prevent the tube from floating up and to carry out stable conveyance. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording device.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a printing tape and a recording apparatus that prints by sandwiching at least two types of printing objects, a printing tape and a tube that is supplied in an unflattened state, between a print head and a platen roller. A pair of supply rollers for supplying the media to the printing section is provided upstream of the printing section of the tube, and a conveying roller is provided on the platen roller facing the printing head to bend and convey the tube along the platen roller. In the conveying configuration of the recording apparatus, the conveying amount by the pair of supply rollers is characterized in that the closer to the conveying reference plane in the width direction of the supply rollers, the smaller the conveying amount.

According to the present invention, a recording medium made of an elastic material such as a tube can be stably printed by being transported along the transport reference plane. However, since the tube is not strongly pressed by a guide member or the like, it can be stably conveyed without buckling even in a high-temperature environment or with a small diameter tube.

1 is a plan view of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is an enlarged view for explaining a recording medium transport path and transport means; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing that the recording head 6 is at the first position; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing that the recording head 6 is at the second position; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a drive mechanism, showing a state in which the recording head 6 is at the second position and the cutting section 30 is at the retracted position; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a driving mechanism, showing a state in which the recording head 6 is at the first position and the cutting section 30 is at the retracted position; FIG. 4 is a drive mechanism explanatory diagram, showing a state in which the recording head 6 is at the first position and the cutting section 30 is at the cutting position; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a drive mechanism, showing a state in which the recording head 6 is at the second position and the cutting section 30 is at the cutting position; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing peripheral parts of a head cam 42; 4 is a perspective view of a head cam 42; FIG. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cutter blade receiving member; It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of one Embodiment of this invention. 4 is a flow chart showing operation processing according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view around a supply roller according to one embodiment of the present invention; 4 is a detailed view of a supply roller 2b according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of supply roller conveyance according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a state diagram of the supply roller conveyance according to one embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front of the main body;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a recording apparatus (hereinafter also referred to as a printer) according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a dust prevention cover (not described) removed. The printer 1 of this embodiment conveys and prints a recording medium such as a tube or a label, and is configured to be portable like a notebook computer. The printer 1 can be roughly divided into a recording medium conveying means composed of supply rollers 2a and 2b, a platen roller 3, and a conveying roller 4, an operation unit 13 having a keyboard, etc., and a display unit having an LCD and a display control unit. 14, a recording unit 20 having a recording head 6 for recording on a recording medium, a cutting unit 30 for cutting the recording medium recorded by the recording unit 20, and a control unit (see FIG. 12) for controlling these units. ing.
A guide unit 10 (details not shown) for guiding the recording medium to the recording section 20 is detachable and replaceable according to the type of recording medium, upstream of the recording section 20 in the conveying direction.
In FIG. 1, below the recording unit 20 in the Y direction, an ink ribbon cassette 8 (details not shown) that can be set between the platen roller 3 and the recording head 6 so as to run a tape-shaped ink ribbon is removable and replaceable. configured as possible.
The recording medium conveying means will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view for explaining a recording medium transport path and transport means. A thick dotted line indicates a rough transport path of the recording medium, and the recording medium is transported in the left direction of the X-axis by a transport means composed of supply rollers 2a and 2b, a platen roller 3, and a transport roller 4. FIG. The roller outer peripheral portions of the supply roller 2a, the platen roller 3, and the transport roller 4 are made of a high-friction member such as rubber.
The recording medium is printed at the recording position shown in FIG. 2 while being conveyed by the conveying means, and is cut when it is conveyed as it is and reaches the recording medium cutting position.
[Operation part]
The operation unit 13 in FIG. 1 includes function keys, letter/number/symbol keys, a space key, a conversion key, a cross direction key, a return key, etc. By operating these keys, the operator can change the type and size of the recording medium. , recording conditions and the like can be input to set recording information.
[Display part]
The LCD of the display unit 14 in FIG. 1 includes various information display lines for displaying input modes and the like, character information display lines for displaying characters, numbers and symbols input from the operation unit 13, and parameter display lines for displaying character sizes and the like. is divided into three lines.
The various information display lines can display the following. Input mode display for displaying (selecting) whether to input in alphanumeric characters, romaji, or hiragana via the operation unit 13, and whether to input by inserting or overwriting via the operation unit 13 Insert/overwrite mode display (edit mode display), "recording medium type" display, and "mode command" (all cut, half-cut mode, cut command, and number of cuts), "cut length" indicating the length of one tube (one label), "character layout" indicating whether the character position is centered or left aligned ” and the cut length/character placement/margin display that displays the “margin” from the hypertrophied bridge of the tube to the first character, and the previous page display that is displayed when there is another page before the currently displayed page , a next page display that is displayed when there is another page after the currently displayed page, and a power display that displays that the power is on.
In addition, the parameter display line can display the following. Displays the number of pages that are currently displayed, and displays whether the recording direction is "landscape/horizontal writing", "portrait/vertical writing", or "portrait/horizontal writing". Recording direction display, line number display that displays the shape of the selected frame when adding a frame to the character, character spacing display that displays the selected character spacing, and how many pages the currently displayed character will be recorded on , continuous record display, and the like.
In the character information display line, a character string of characters input via the operation unit 13 (characters in which input character data is displayed through predetermined processing) is displayed. A cursor is displayed on the character information display line where the operator intends to input.
[Recording part]
The internal configuration around the recording unit 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of driving mechanisms of the conveying means, the recording section 20, and the cutting section 30. FIG.
The main motor 5 transmits drive to the supply roller 2a, the platen roller 3, the transport roller 4, and the ribbon take-up reel 45 via idler gears (not described). <The ribbon take-up reel 45 is formed.>
In the ink ribbon cassette 8 (not shown in detail), back tension is applied to the ink ribbon to apply a load in the direction opposite to the conveying direction, and the ink ribbon is taken up by the ribbon take-up reel 45 . The ribbon take-up reel 45 has a torque limiter inside, so that the ribbon can be transported while being wound up in a tensioned state.
The recording head 6 is fixed to a recording head supporting member 49 having a head cam follower 43 shown in FIG. 9, and has a predetermined number of heating elements arranged in the Z direction.
Positional movement of the recording head 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. FIG. 3 is a view showing the so-called NIP position (hereinafter referred to as the first position) where the recording head 6 contacts the platen roller 3 and transmits the load. ). The sub-motor 9 transmits drive to the head cam 42 via an idler gear (not described), and moves the recording head support member 49 by changing the position of the head cam follower 44 according to the rotation angle of the head cam 42 . The recording head support member 49 is always biased substantially upward along the Y axis by the head spring 47 , and the head cam follower 44 is always biased toward the head cam 42 . At the first position, as shown in FIG. 3, the recording head 6 is in contact with the platen roller 3 and the recording head support member 49 is stopped, and the head cam follower 44 cannot follow the cam curved surface of the head cam 42. , the load of the head spring 47 can be transmitted to the platen roller 3 via the recording head 6 . As a result, the ink on the wound ink ribbon can be transferred to the recording medium as described in [Overview]. In the second position, as shown in FIG. 4, the head cam follower 44 is pushed down by the cam surface of the head cam 42, and the recording head 6 is moved via the recording head support member 49. FIG.
The movement to the first position is controlled such that the transmissive cam sensor 50 detects the flag 51b formed on the head cam 42 shown in FIG. . Movement to the second position is controlled to stop after a predetermined number of sub-motor pulses after the detection of the flag 51a by the transmissive cam sensor 50 (light shielding→transmission) in the same manner as the movement to the first position. .
[Cut part]
A cutter cam 41 that is coaxially coupled with the head cam 42 and rotates in the same direction contacts a cutter cam follower 43 of the cutting section 30 to move the cutting section 30 up and down. The cutting unit 30 includes a cutter blade 48. When the cutting unit 30 is driven by the sub-motor 9 and moves vertically (in the Y-axis direction), the cutter blade 48 comes into contact with the cutter blade receiving member 46 and cuts the tube. and labels are cut. As shown in FIG. 11, the cutter blade receiving member 46 has two surfaces, a full cut surface 46a which is a smooth surface and a half cut surface 46b which is a surface having a slightly concave shape in part. By switching between these two sides, it is possible to cut in half or completely. In this embodiment, the cutter blade receiving member 46 is covered with the thin plate 52 made of SUS material to form the half-cut surface 46b, but the cutter blade receiving member 46 may be formed integrally therewith.
In the half-cutting operation, the half-cutting surface 46b is oriented parallel to the X-axis direction by a mechanism (not described) of the cutter blade receiving member 46, and the cutter cam rotates in the CW direction as shown in FIG. As shown in , the printing unit 30 is moved upward along the Y axis. The amount of movement of the cutting portion 30 is controlled so that the flag 51b is detected by the transmissive cam sensor 50 (light shielding→transmission), and the cutting portion 30 is stopped after a predetermined number of sub-motor pulses after detection. The cutter blade 48 cuts the recording medium in half by coming into contact with the half-cut surface 46b.
The full-cutting operation will be described, for example, from the printable state shown in FIG. 6, by rotating the cutter cam 41 in the CCW direction, which is the opposite direction to CW, to the position of the cutter cam 41 shown in FIG. While the cutter cam 41 is rotating CCW, the entire cut surface 46a of the cutter blade receiving member 46 takes a posture parallel to the X-axis direction by a mechanism not explained, and then the recording unit 30 is moved upward in the Y-axis direction. . The amount of movement of the cutting portion 30 is controlled so that the flag 51a is detected by the transmissive cam sensor 50 (transmission→light shielding), and the cutting portion 30 is stopped after a predetermined number of sub-motor pulses after detection. The cutter blade 48 cuts the entire recording medium by coming into contact with the full cut surface 46a.
[Control configuration]
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the configuration for control in the printer 1 of this embodiment. Reference numeral 1301 in FIG. 12 denotes a control unit provided in the printer 1. The control unit 1301 includes the main motor 5, the sub motor 9, the cam sensor 50, the leading end detection sensor 1501, the end detection sensor 1502, the input unit 13, and the It is connected to the display unit 14 and controls the main motor 5 , the sub motor 9 and the display unit 14 based on the inputs from the sensors and the input unit 13 .
The control unit 1301 includes a ROM 1302 that stores a print control program and the like, and a RAM 1303 that stores various data and the like input by the input unit 13 . The RAM 1303 includes a print data storage area for storing print data, a setting information storage area for storing various setting information such as print medium type, size, print density, cut information, and a data expansion area for expanding print data. and other areas. An external terminal such as a personal computer (not shown) can be connected to the printer 1 via USB, and print data from the external terminal can be printed by the printer 1 .
[Explanation of recording operation of the present invention]
Next, the implementation configuration of the present invention will be described.
The thick dotted line shown in FIG. 2 is a rough conveying path of the recording medium, and the recording medium is conveyed in the left direction of the X axis by conveying means composed of supply rollers 2a and 2b, platen roller 3, and conveying roller 4. FIG. The roller outer peripheral portions of the supply roller 2a, the platen roller 3, and the transport roller 4 are made of a high-friction member such as rubber. The supply roller 2b is configured such that the supply roller 2b comes into contact with the supply roller 2a in conjunction with the closing operation of an opening/closing cover (not shown) to ensure a necessary pressing force. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the supply roller 2b has a truncated cone shape whose diameter increases toward the conveyance reference plane. Here, the supply roller 2b is characterized in that the diameters X, Y, and Z shown in FIG. 15 have a relationship of X<Y<Z.
By doing so, as shown in FIG. 16, when conveying a recording medium made of an elastic body such as a tube, the pressure on the larger diameter side of the truncated cone is greater than the pressure on the smaller diameter side of the truncated cone. Since it is stronger, the tube on the larger diameter side of the truncated cone is more likely to collapse. Similarly, the supply roller 2a made of rubber or the like receives strong pressure on the side of the truncated cone with the larger diameter, so that it is crushed compared to the side of the truncated cone with the smaller diameter. As a result, the distance A from the center of the supply roller 2a to the center of the recording medium is longer than the distance B (A>B). As a result, the conveying amount of the driven supply roller 2a is smaller on the side of the truncated cone with the larger diameter than on the side of the truncated cone with the smaller diameter. It is transported along the
As described above, according to the recording apparatus of the embodiment, stable printing can be performed by transporting the recording medium made of an elastic body such as a tube along the transport reference plane.
In addition, since the tube is not strongly pressed by a guide member or the like even when the leading end is indexed by backfeeding, it is possible to stably convey the tube without buckling even in a high-temperature environment or a small-diameter tube having a weak stiffness.

1: Printer 2a, 2b: Supply Roller 3: Platen Roller 4: Conveyance Roller 5: Main Motor 6: Recording Head 7: Drive Unit 8: Ink Ribbon Cassette 9: Sub Motor 10: Guide Unit 13: Operation Section 14: Display Section 20: Recording Section 30: Cutting Section 41: Cutter Cam 42: Head Cam 43: Cutter Cam Follower 44: Head Cam Follower 45: Ribbon Winding Reel 46: Cutter Blade Receiving Member 46a: Full Cutting Surface 46b: Half Cutting Surface 47: Head Spring 48: Cutter Blade 49 : recording head support member 50: cam sensor 51a, 51b: flag 52: thin plate 53: leading edge detection sensor 54: end detection sensor 60: latch 70: recording medium

Claims (2)

In a recording device that prints by sandwiching at least two types of printed materials, a printing tape and a tube that is supplied in an unflattened state, between a print head and a platen roller, a printing unit is provided upstream of the printing unit of the printing tape and the tube. In a conveying configuration of a recording apparatus in which a pair of supply rollers for supplying a medium is provided, and a platen roller facing the print head is provided with a conveying roller for conveying a tube curved along the platen roller, the pair of supply rollers A recording apparatus characterized in that the closer the conveying amount is to the conveying reference surface in the width direction of the supply roller, the smaller the conveying amount is. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the pair of supply rollers has a truncated cone shape in which the diameter increases toward the conveyance reference plane in the width direction of the supply roller.

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