JP2980857B2 - Printer paper feed mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feeding mechanism for a printer, and more particularly to a paper feeding cassette, which ensures that even if the paper feeding cassette is held in an upright state, the paper will slip off. The present invention relates to a paper feeding mechanism of a printer capable of preventing such a problem.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, various printers such as a thermal transfer printer and a page printer are used as output devices such as a computer and a word processor.

In order to perform desired recording in such a printer, a plurality of sheets are stacked and stored in a sheet cassette, and the sheet cassette containing the sheets is mounted on a printer body. The paper feed roller is brought into contact with the paper in the paper feed cassette and the paper feed roller is driven to rotate, so that the paper is separated and fed one by one by a separation mechanism. The paper fed by the paper feed roller is conveyed toward a paper feed roller disposed before the recording position of the printer, and when the leading end of the paper in the paper conveyance direction reaches the paper feed roller, the paper is fed by the paper feed roller. The paper is conveyed. And
By driving a thermal head based on a desired recording signal for a sheet conveyed to a predetermined recording position,
The desired recording is performed.

In such a printer,
When paper is fed by the paper feed roller, a separation mechanism is provided to reliably separate and feed the paper one by one from the uppermost paper. Conventionally, as such a separating mechanism, separating claws are arranged on both sides of the leading end of the sheet cassette, and the separating claws press the both sides of the leading end of the sheet to separate the sheet.

However, the separation mechanism using such a separation claw requires a large number of parts, so that the manufacturing cost is increased and the separation mechanism is applicable to various types of paper such as thick paper such as postcards and ordinary paper. Therefore, there is a problem that proper separation cannot be performed.

For this reason, the applicant has provided a separating plate with which the leading edge of the sheet is brought into contact as such a separating mechanism, and properly separates the sheets one by one by the contact resistance of the separating plate. A separation mechanism was developed. This separation plate is capable of adjusting the inclination angle. By changing the inclination angle according to the type of paper, it is possible to appropriately separate various types of paper and feed the paper. is there.

[0007]

The above-mentioned conventional printer may be housed integrally in a casing of, for example, a portable laptop type word processor. In such a case, the word processor is not used. Sometimes, the casing is stored in an upright state.

However, if a separating plate is used as the separating mechanism, the leading end of the sheet is not held by some of the separating plates. Therefore, when the sheet is stored in an upright state, the sheet feeding cassette is positioned in the vertical direction. Therefore, there is a problem in that the paper slips and falls, and the paper cannot be properly held in the paper feed cassette. In addition, if the paper cannot be held properly in this way, there is a problem that the paper cannot be properly fed in the next recording.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and can reliably prevent sheets from slipping and falling even when the sheet cassette is held upright. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feed mechanism of a printer that can appropriately hold paper.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper feeding mechanism for a printer according to the present invention, which is capable of abutting against paper stored in a paper feeding cassette. A paper feed mechanism for a printer, comprising a paper feed roller for separating and feeding paper one by one, wherein a leading edge of the paper abuts on the paper feed cassette to separate the paper one by one. arranged a separation unit, at the time of recording, without as the paper feed cassette is installed and used so that the horizontal direction, when the paper feed roller performs paper feed caused by the line feed operation required for recording When the paper feed roller is held at a position separated from the surface of the paper, and when the paper feed cassette is stored in an upright state, the paper feed roller is held at a position in contact with the paper. It is characterized by having That.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the paper feed roller is held so as to be in contact with the upper surface of the paper at a time other than the time of recording. The paper is held by the paper feed roller, and even if the printer is stored with the paper cassette upright, the paper can be reliably prevented from slipping and falling, making it suitable for the paper cassette. The paper can be held at the same time. The invention according to claim 2
Adjusts the angle of inclination of the separating section according to claim 1.
It is characterized by being arranged to be adjustable. This contract
According to the invention described in claim 2, the inclination angle of the separation unit is adjusted.
Separation section according to the type of paper.
Can be held at an appropriate angle.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment of a printer to which a paper feeding mechanism according to the present invention is applied. The printer 1 of this embodiment is, for example, an internal rear part of a casing 2 such as a word processor. (Left side in the figure).
The cover member 3 is provided so as to be openable and closable. Then, for example, with the cover member 3 opened, the cover member 3
The user operates a predetermined key (not shown) provided on the casing 2 while visually recognizing a display (not shown) provided on the inner surface of the.

Further, the printer 1 of the present embodiment
The printer 1 has a printer frame 5 disposed inside the casing 2. Below the printer frame 5, a platen 6 having a flat plate shape and extending in the width direction of the printer frame 5 is disposed so that its recording surface is directed upward.

A carriage 7 is provided on one side of the printer frame 5 so as to be reciprocally movable along a platen 6 by a drive mechanism (not shown). A scanner 8 is provided on one side of the carriage 7. It is arranged. Also,
At the lower end of the carriage 7, a thermal head (not shown) in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged and arranged is provided so as to be able to freely contact and separate from the platen 6 by a drive mechanism (not shown). Furthermore, a ribbon cassette (not shown) in which an ink ribbon of a desired color (not shown) is wound is mounted on the carriage 7 in a detachable manner. A winding bobbin 9 for winding and driving the ink ribbon is rotatably arranged. The ink ribbon is guided between the heating element portion of the thermal head and the platen 6, and the sheet 4 and the ink ribbon are supplied between the platen 6 and the thermal head. Then, the thermal head is pressed against the platen 6, and the pressed position between the thermal head and the platen 6 in the head down state is the recording position.

A cassette mounting table 10 is disposed below the printer frame 5 on the upstream side in the paper transport direction. On the upper surface of the cassette mounting table 10, a plurality of sheets 4 are stacked. The paper cassette 11 to be housed is stored in a detachable manner. The paper feed cassette 11 can be inserted into the inside of the casing 2 through an opening (not shown) formed on the front surface of the casing 2. In this state, the leading end of the paper feed cassette 11 is set on the upper surface of the cassette mounting table 10. Further, a plurality of friction pads 12 made of a material such as cork, for example, are embedded on the upper surface of the paper feed cassette 11 so that the surfaces thereof are flush with the paper feed cassette 11. 1
A separation plate 13 is provided at the leading end of the sheet 4 as a separating portion that contacts the leading edge of the sheet 4 and separates only the uppermost sheet 4 of the stacked sheets 4. The separation plate 13 is formed so that its inclination angle can be adjusted according to the type of the paper 4.

A support shaft 14 extending in the width direction of the printer frame 5 and having both ends supported on both sides of the printer frame 5 is disposed above the cassette mounting table 10. A paper feed roller drive shaft 15 is disposed near the upstream side of the paper feed direction 14 in parallel with the support shaft 14. An arc-shaped shaft support hole 16 is formed on both sides of the printer frame 5, and both ends of the feed roller driving shaft 15 are rotatably supported in the shaft support hole 16. . Further, the feed roller drive shaft 15
2 is connected to the support shaft 14 via a connection arm 17 so that the feed roller driving shaft 15 can be connected to the shaft support hole 14 around the support shaft 14 by the connection arm 17. It is swingable along 16. Further, the feed roller drive shaft 15 is urged in the direction of the cassette mounting table 10 by an urging member 18 such as a torsion coil spring attached to the support shaft 14.

At a position corresponding to the friction pad 12 of the paper feed cassette 11 on the paper feed roller drive shaft 15, a plurality of paper feed rollers 19 having a substantially D-shaped cross section are arranged at predetermined intervals in the axial direction. On both sides of the paper feed roller 19 of the paper feed roller drive shaft 15, circular auxiliary wheels 20 are freely rotatably fitted.
The paper feed roller 19 is driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) to abut on the upper surface of the paper 4 accommodated in the paper feed cassette 11 together with the auxiliary wheel 20 and the urging force of the urging member 18. The paper feed roller drive shaft 15 is raised along the shaft support hole 16 in opposition to the paper feed cassette 11, and is formed so as to be selectively held at a separated position separated from the paper 4 stored in the paper feed cassette 11. I have.

A paper feed roller drive shaft 21 extending in the width direction of the printer frame 5 and having both ends supported on both sides of the printer frame 5 is provided upstream of the platen 6 in the paper transport direction of the printer frame 5. It is arranged,
A plurality of paper feed rollers 22 are attached to the paper feed roller drive shaft 21 at predetermined intervals. Above each paper feed roller 22, an auxiliary roller 23 which is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the paper feed roller 22 and is rotated by the paper feed roller 22 is rotatably disposed.

Further, between the cassette mounting table 10 and the paper feed roller 22 of the printer frame 5, the paper 4 removed from the cassette mounting table 10 by the paper feeding roller 19 is provided.
Is provided between the paper feed roller 22 and the auxiliary roller 23.

Further, the platen 6 of the printer frame 5
The printer frame 5 is located further downstream in the paper transport direction.
A paper discharge roller drive shaft 25 extending in the width direction of the printer and supported by the printer frame 5 is rotatably disposed. The paper discharge roller drive shaft 25 discharges the paper 4 on which recording has been completed to the outside. A plurality of discharge rollers 26 are attached at predetermined intervals.

The paper 4 fed from the paper feed cassette 11 by the paper feed roller 19 is guided by the guide plate 24 just before the recording position and is fed by the paper feed roller 22 and the auxiliary roller 2.
3, the paper feed roller 22 and the auxiliary roller 23
And is conveyed to the recording position
The paper 4 after the recording is applied to the casing 2 by the discharge rollers 26.
The casing 2 is discharged from an opening (not shown) formed on the rear surface of the casing 2.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described.

In the present embodiment, first, predetermined sheets 4 are stacked and stored in the sheet cassette 11 in a state where the inclination angle of the separation plate 13 is adjusted according to the type of the sheets 4. The paper cassette 11 is inserted into the casing 2. Accordingly, the leading end of the paper feed cassette 11 is placed between the upper surface of the cassette mounting table 10 and the paper feed roller 19. In this state, the paper feed roller 19
Is held at a contact position where it contacts the sheet 4.

Thereafter, the paper feed roller 19 is rotated to drive the paper 4 stacked on the paper feed cassette 11.
Of the uppermost sheet 4 is one sheet feed roller 22
Transported in the direction of In this case, since the separation plate 13 is arranged in the sheet cassette 11, the separation plate 13 applies a load to the leading edge of the sheet 4, and only the uppermost sheet 4 is separated. It can be transported smoothly.

The paper 4 fed by the paper feed roller 19 is guided by a guide plate 24 and conveyed between the paper feed roller 22 and the auxiliary roller 23, and the paper feed roller 22 is driven to rotate. Is conveyed to a recording position between the platen 6 and the thermal head, and predetermined recording on the sheet 4 is started. That is, the thermal head is pressed against the platen 6 via the ink ribbon and the paper 4 and the heating element of the thermal head is selectively driven based on a desired recording signal while moving the carriage 7 along the platen 6. Thus, desired recording is performed on the paper 4.

Thereafter, by rotating the paper feed roller 22, the paper feed accompanying the line feed operation required for recording the paper 4 is repeatedly performed. In the present embodiment, such paper feed is performed. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the paper feed roller 19 is held at the separated position, so that the load of the paper feed roller 19 is not applied to the paper 4 during paper feeding. I have.

The paper 4 on which recording has been completed is discharged to the outside of the casing 2 by the discharge rollers 26.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, when the predetermined recording is not performed on the sheet 4,
Is lowered, so that the feed roller 19 is
1, the auxiliary wheel 20 comes into contact with the paper 4 as shown in FIG.
Is held by the auxiliary wheels 20, and the casing 2 is stored in an upright state, and even when the paper feed cassette 11 is positioned in the vertical direction, it is ensured that the paper 4 is slipped and dropped. The paper cassette 11 can be prevented.
The paper 4 can be held properly.

In the above-described embodiment, the paper feed roller 19 is formed to have a substantially D-shaped cross section, and when the chord portion of the paper feed roller 19 faces the paper 4, Since the paper feed roller 19 cannot be brought into contact with the paper 4 even if the paper feed roller 19 is held at the abutment position, the auxiliary wheel 20 is brought into contact with the paper 4 with the paper feed roller 19 held at the abutment position. However, when the paper feed roller 19 is formed in a circular shape in cross section, the paper feed roller 19 may directly contact the paper 4 at the contact position.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the predetermined recording is not performed, the paper feed roller 19 is held in the contact position together with the auxiliary wheel 20, so that the paper feed roller 19 is stored in the paper feed cassette 11. Paper 4 is the auxiliary wheel 20
The paper 4 can be reliably prevented from slipping and falling even when the casing 2 is stored in an upright state. Can be kept. In addition, since the paper 4 can be appropriately held in this manner, the paper 4 can always be appropriately fed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified as required.

[0033]

As described above, in the paper feeding mechanism of the printer according to the first aspect of the invention, the paper feeding roller is held so as to be in contact with the upper surface of the paper except during recording. even when stored the printer upright sheet cassette, it can reliably prevent the paper falls deviation, it is possible to hold the proper paper in the paper cassette . The invention according to claim 2
Can adjust the inclination angle of the separation part.
The separation section can be held at an appropriate angle according to the type of paper.
It has effects such as being able to do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a contact state of a sheet feeding roller according to an embodiment of a printer to which a sheet feeding mechanism according to the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a separated state of a paper feed roller of a printer to which the paper feed mechanism according to the present invention is applied;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 2 Casing 4 Paper 6 Platen 7 Carriage 10 Cassette mounting table 11 Paper feed cassette 13 Separation plate 19 Paper feed roller 20 Auxiliary wheel 22 Paper feed roller 26 Paper discharge roller

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A paper feed mechanism for a printer, comprising a paper feed roller capable of coming into contact with paper stored in a paper feed cassette and separating and feeding the paper one by one. ,
A separation unit is provided for separating the sheets one by one by contacting the leading edge of the sheet with the sheet cassette. During recording, the sheet cassette is installed and used in a horizontal direction. Paper feed roller , necessary for recording
In the case of performing the paper feed accompanying the line feed operation, the paper feed roller is held at a position separated from the surface of the paper, and in the case where the paper feed cassette is stored in an upright state, the paper feed roller is held. A paper feed mechanism for a printer, wherein the paper feed mechanism is held at a position in contact with the paper. 2. The paper feed mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said separation unit is arranged so that its inclination angle can be adjusted.