JP2585012B2 - Recording device with built-in postcard feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides not only a function of transporting and printing a normal sheet but also a stack of postcards (including small-sized and strong sheets such as cards). The present invention relates to a recording apparatus having a built-in postcard feeder that automatically feeds sheets separated one by one.

[Conventional technology]

As a recording device such as a printer or copier, a feed roller is used as a separation roller, and in addition to using normal sheets, a built-in postcard feeder that loads multiple postcards, separates them one by one, and automatically feeds them Type recording devices have been proposed.

In this type of recording apparatus, a pinch roller pressed against a sheet conveyance area of a feed roller, a roller pair of a discharge roller and a bale roller disposed on the downstream side of the recording head,
A pressure plate that presses the stacked postcards on the separation roller area of the feed roller, and a separation protrusion that presses the tip of the stacked postcards are provided.In addition to using a normal sheet, a postcard can be used. Some postcards have a function of recording while separating and feeding one sheet at a time.

It should be noted that “postcard” in the present case broadly refers to a sheet (card, etc.) that is small and strong (thick) compared to a normal sheet.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, this type of conventional recording apparatus has a structure capable of switching between a load state in which a sheet is conveyed by a frictional force and a sheet release state in which the frictional force is released and the sheet can be freely inserted. Was.

However, in such a conventional structure, even when a normal sheet is inserted, the pressure plate is pressed against the feed roller, and the discharge roller and the bail roller are also pressed against each other. And it is difficult to perform a corrective operation when a normal sheet is inserted diagonally.

[Means for solving the problem]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and provides a recording device with a built-in postcard feeder that can prevent occurrence of a jam when a normal sheet is inserted, and can smoothly correct a diagonal insertion. The purpose is to:

The present invention provides a feed roller also serving as a separation roller, a pressure plate for feeding a postcard that presses a postcard against the feed roller by being biased by a spring, and a sheet pressed together with the feed roller by being pressed against the feed roller downstream of the pressure plate. A recording device having a pinch roller for conveying toward the recording unit, and a postcard feeder for feeding the stacked postcards pressed against the feed roller via a pressure plate one by one to the recording unit. A postcard feeding state in which the pressure plate presses the postcard against the feed roller and a pinch roller presses against the feed roller, and a normal sheet supply state in which the press contact between the pressure plate and the feed roller is released and the pinch roller presses against the feed roller, A postcard configured to switch between three stages, that is, a release state in which both the pressure plate and the pinch roller and the feed roller are released from pressure contact. The leader built-in recording device is intended to achieve the above object.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a recording apparatus with a built-in postcard feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view of FIG.

3 and 4, a platen 2 extending left and right is fixed to a base 1 of the recording apparatus, and reciprocates in front of the platen 2 along guide means (not shown) in parallel with the platen. A carriage 3 is provided, and a recording head 4 is mounted on the carriage 3.

The illustrated recording apparatus shows a case of a thermal transfer printer.
(FIG. 4) is supported so as to be able to be separated (up) and pressed (down) with respect to (FIG. 4). Further, on the carriage 3, an ink ribbon is supplied between the recording head 4 and the sheet 5 (FIG. 4). Is mounted.

A feed roller 7 that is rotationally driven by a sheet feed motor (not shown) is supported on the upstream side of the recording head 4 in the sheet conveyance direction (below the platen 2 in the illustrated example).
Pinch rollers 8 and 9 (FIG. 4) for applying frictional conveying force to the sheet 5 (FIG. 4) are arranged on the peripheral surface (two lower peripheral surfaces) of the feed roller 7 so as to be able to press and separate. Have been.

A discharge roller 10 and a bail roller 11 pressed against the discharge roller 10 are arranged on the downstream side (in the illustrated example, on the upstream side) of the recording head 4 in the sheet conveyance direction.

The discharge roller 10 is driven at the same transport speed as the feed roller 7, and the bail roller 11 is supported by the discharge roller 10 so as to be able to press and separate.

The discharge roller 10 and the bale roller 11 are disposed near the discharge side of the recording head 4, and can be used to feed a sheet by pulling from the discharge side when using a small-sized sheet such as a postcard. Is composed.

In FIG. 4, a postcard feeder 15 for separating and feeding the postcards 5 one by one is provided on the upstream side (the right side in the drawing) of the feed roller 7.

The postcard feeder 15 includes a pressure plate 17 pressed against the feed roller 7 by a spring 16, a separation protrusion 18 attached to the base 1 side, and a separation roller (or paper feed roller).
And a feed roller 7 serving also as a feed roller.

As shown in FIG. 3, the feed roller 7 has a structure in which the feed roller 7 is divided in the axial direction (divided into three) and connected therebetween by a small-diameter portion. Have been.

These separation projections 18 slightly protrude inward from the sheet path around the feed roller 7 so that the sheet (postcard) 5 in contact with the feed roller 7 is pressed so as to be able to pass over the separation roller.

The stacked postcards 5 are pressed against the peripheral surface of the feed roller 7 by the pressure plate 17, and the leading end is pressed by the separation projection 18.

In addition, both sides of the laminated postcard 5 have a guide surface 19,
It is guided by 19 or another member not shown.

Thus, when the feed roller 7 rotates, the uppermost postcard 5 is sent over the separation protrusion 18 and is separated one by one and continuously fed.

However, in the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the postcard feeder 15 (fourth
4), and a normal sheet supply state in which the pressure plate 17 (FIG. 4) of the postcard feeder 15 is retracted to the release position to supply a normal sheet from the sheet insertion port. The pressure plate 17 and the sheet feeding pinch rollers 8 and 9 (FIG. 4) are configured to be switched to three stages of a sheet release state of retracting to the release position.

FIG. 1 is a right side view showing the operating member and its transmission mechanism as viewed from the line II in FIG. 4, and FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the transmission mechanism of FIG.

In FIG. 1, the operating member (release lever) 21
Is rotatably supported by a shaft 22 (in the illustrated example, concentric with the shaft of the feed roller 7), and a first gear portion 23 and a second gear portion 24 are integrally provided on the operation member 21. I have.

A release shaft 25 is rotatably supported at a position at a predetermined distance between the shaft 22 and the shaft 22. The release shaft 25 has a release gear 26 and a circumferential cam which mesh with the first gear portion 23. 27
Are provided integrally.

Thus, when the operation member 21 is rotated in the direction of arrow A,
The release shaft 25 and the circumferential cam 27 rotate in the direction of arrow B.

A transmission lever 29 that can swing around a shaft 28 is supported on the base 1. The transmission lever 29 is rotated by the circumferential cam 27 in the direction of arrow C when the circumferential cam 27 rotates in the direction of arrow B. (The tip is lifted). Ona
A return spring is provided between the transmission lever 29 and the base 1.
30 are stretched.

A bale roller 11 that is paired with the discharge roller 10 is mounted on the transmission lever 29, and the bale roller 11 can be switched between pressure contact and release with the discharge roller 10 by rotating the transmission lever 29.

In the illustrated example, the bail roller 11 is provided with a transmission lever 29.
Is mounted via a roller arm 32 that can rotate about a fulcrum 31 provided at the center. The roller arm 32 is provided with a stopper 33 for controlling a rotation range.

The roller arm 32 has a steady position indicated by a solid line and a two-dot chain line.
Rotate manually to the release position indicated by 34 (arrow D direction)
can do.

The transmission lever 29 and the roller arm 32 are provided on both sides of the recording apparatus, and the bail roller 11 is mounted on a support shaft supported by the left and right roller arms 32.

In addition, release angle 36 is attached to base 1 via shaft 35
Are rotatably supported.

The release angle 36 is for driving the pinch rollers 8 and 9 to press and release, and extends right and left in the recording apparatus, and is supported by shafts 35 provided on both left and right sides of the recording apparatus (base 1). Have been.

However, the release angle 36 is formed with a gear 37 that meshes with the second gear portion 24 of the operating member 21.
When the pivot 21 is turned in the direction of arrow A, the release angle 36 is turned in the direction of arrow E.

In FIG. 1, an operation member (release lever)
When the position 21 is at the position X indicated by the solid line, the state is the postcard feeding state. When the position 21 is moved to the position indicated by the alternate long and two short dashes line Y, the normal sheet supply state is set.

In FIG. 2, a pressure plate releasing lever 42 swingable about a shaft 41 is supported on the base 1, and one end 47 of the lever 42 is a pressure plate cam (circumferential cam) provided on the release shaft 25.
A pin (or projection) 44 provided at the other end of the lever 42 is fitted (or engaged) with a hole (a long hole in the illustrated example) 45 formed in the pressure plate 17. .

On the other hand, the pressure plate 17 is swingable about the fulcrum 46 with respect to the base 1, and is normally pressed against the peripheral surface of the feed roller (separation roller) 7 by a compression spring 16 provided between the pressure plate 17 and the base 1. I have.

When the release shaft 25 rotates in the direction of arrow B, the pressure plate cam
The high wrist portion 43 moves the end 47 of the pressure plate release lever in the direction of arrow F, so that the pin portion 44 at the other end moves in the direction of arrow G, and the pressure plate 17 is opposed to the spring 16 around the fulcrum 46. It swings in the direction (arrow H) away from the feed roller 7 and is moved to the release (retreat) position.

When the release angle 36 (FIG. 1) is rotated in the direction of arrow E by the rotation of the operation member 21 (FIG. 1), the cam lever 48 engaged with the release angle 36 moves leftward in FIG. Moved to

On the other hand, each of the pinch rollers 8 and 9 is pivotally supported on a holder 49, and the holder 49 has a pin portion (or protrusion).
51 are provided.

The holder 49 is normally urged by a spring (not shown) in a direction (upward) where the pinch rollers 8 and 9 are pressed against each other. The inclined cam portion 52 causes the pin portion 51 to move against the spring (not shown) with an arrow K.
And the pinch rollers 8 and 9 are separated from the peripheral surface of the feed roller 7.

In FIG. 2, the separation projection 18 is attached to the base 1 and slightly protrudes from the sheet path of the feed roller 7 as shown in the drawing, and only the first postcard (contacted with the feed roller 7) when the feed roller rotates is shown. It is arranged to get over.

The tip of the stacked postcard 5 (FIG. 4) on the pressure plate 17 is pressed by the separation projection 18.

The operation of the operation system described in FIGS. 1 and 2 is as follows.

When the operation member (release lever) 21 is at the position X,
As shown, the bale roller 11 is pressed against the discharge roller 10,
The pressure plate 17 is pressed against the peripheral surface of the feed roller 7, and the pinch rollers 8 and 9 are pressed against the feed roller 7, and the postcards 5 are separated and fed one by one by a postcard feeder 15 (FIGS. 2 and 4). The postcard can be fed.

When the operating member 21 is moved to the position Y, the release shaft 25 is rotated in the direction of arrow B by a predetermined amount, the transmission lever 29 is swung about the shaft 28 in the direction of arrow C, and the bail roller 11 is moved in the direction of arrow L. (FIG. 1) to separate from the discharge roller 10 (release of the discharge roller 10), and the pressure plate release lever 42 is rotated about the shaft 41 in the direction of arrow G, so that the pressure plate 17 is opposed to the spring 16. It is separated from the feed roller 7 (the pressure plate 17 is released).

At the Y position of the operation member 21, the cam lever 48 moves only halfway, and the pinch rollers 8, 9 are in a pressed state.

By operating the operating member 21 to the Y position in this manner, the normal sheet can be smoothly inserted into the press-contact portions of the pinch rollers 8 and 9, and the recorded normal sheet can be discharged from the discharge roller portion.
It is possible to switch to a state where the sheet is smoothly discharged without receiving resistance in steps 10 and 11, that is, a normal sheet supply state.

When the operating member 21 is operated to the position Z, the bail roller 11 and the pressure plate 17 are held at the same release position as at the position Y, and the amount of movement of the release angle 36 in the direction of arrow E increases. The cam lever 48 moves sufficiently to the left (in the direction of the arrow J), and the slope cam portion 52 is moved to the pin portion.
By pressing down 51, the pinch rollers 8, 9 are separated from the feed roller 7 (the pinch rollers 8, 9 are released).

By operating the operation member 21 to the Z position in this way, the discharge roller 10, the pressure plate 17, and the pinch rollers 8, 9 are all released, and the state is switched to a sheet release state in which both postcards and ordinary sheets can be freely inserted and removed. be able to.

According to the structure of the embodiment described above, one operating member 21
With only the switching operation of the above, in addition to the two states of the sheet conveyance state and the sheet release state, the sheet conveyance state can be further switched between a postcard feeding state and a normal sheet supply state, and thus, with a simple configuration. In addition, it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of a jam when a normal sheet is inserted and to easily perform correction when a sheet is inserted obliquely.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a feed roller also serving as a separation roller, a pressure plate for feeding a postcard that is spring-biased and presses the postcard against the feed roller,
A pinch roller that is pressed against the feed roller downstream of the pressure plate and conveys the sheet to the recording unit together with the feed roller, and prints the stacked postcards pressed against the feed roller via the pressure plate one by one. In a recording apparatus provided with a postcard feeder that feeds a sheet to a paper feeding unit, a single operation member can be used to determine a postcard feeding state in which a pressure plate presses a postcard against a feed roller and a pinch roller presses against the feed roller, and a press contact between the pressure plate and the feed roller. Since it is configured to switch to three stages, a normal sheet supply state in which the release and the pinch roller are pressed against the feed roller, and a release state in which both the pressure plate and the pinch roller and the feed roller are released from pressure,
Provided is a recording apparatus with a built-in postcard feeder which is simple in operation, can prevent occurrence of jamming of a normal sheet, and can easily perform correction at the time of oblique insertion of a sheet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a side view of a main part of a recording apparatus according to the present invention, taken along line II in FIG. 3, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a central part showing a main part of the recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the recording apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a central portion of the recording apparatus of FIG. 2 ... Platen, 4 ... Recording head, 5 ... Postcard, 7
…… Feed roller, 8, 9… Pinch roller, 10… Discharge roller, 11… Bale roller, 15… Postcard feeder, 17… Press plate, 21… Operation member (release lever),
25 ... release axis, 36 ... release angle.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A feed roller which also serves as a separation roller; a pressure plate for feeding a postcard which is urged by a spring to press the postcard against the feed roller; and a sheet which is pressed against the feed roller downstream of the pressure plate and is pressed together with the feed roller. And a pinch roller for transporting the recording paper toward the recording unit, and a postcard feeder that feeds the postcards in a stacked state pressed against the feed roller via a pressure plate one by one to the recording unit. By pressing, the pressure plate presses the postcard against the feed roller and the pinch roller presses against the feed roller, and the postcard feeding state, and the normal sheet supply state where the pressure plate and the feed roller are released and the pinch roller presses against the feed roller. And a release state in which the pressure contact between both the pressure plate and the pinch roller and the feed roller is released. Ida built-in recording device. 2. A recording apparatus with a built-in postcard feeder according to claim 1, wherein a discharge roller is released in said normal sheet supply state and said release state.