JP3410817B2 - Printer device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer for pressing a printing sheet against a sheet supporting member such as a guide roller with a sheet pressing member such as a pinch roller. 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a printer device prints an image on a print sheet sequentially transported by a paper transport mechanism including a feed roller and a guide plate by an image printing mechanism including a print head. ing. At this time, since it is necessary to position the printing paper in the paper conveyance path, a paper supporting member for movably supporting the printing paper is formed by a guide roller or the like, and the printing paper is pressed against such a paper supporting member. The paper pressing member for holding the paper is formed by a pinch roller or the like. In such a printer, a paper pressing member is rotatably supported so as to come into contact with and separate from the paper supporting member because of the necessity of maintenance work and jam clearance work. There is a model in which a flexible paper pressing member is pressed toward a paper supporting member by a leaf spring member. Therefore, in such a printer device, the leaf spring member is supported so as to be curved in the rotation direction of the sheet pressing member,
The sheet pressing member is pressed by the distal end of the leaf spring member. [0004] With this configuration, the sheet pressing member is pressed against the sheet supporting member by the pressing force due to the bending of the plate spring member, so that the printing sheet can be held in the sheet conveying path here. When the sheet pressing member is separated from the sheet supporting member against the pressing force of the above, a maintenance operation, a jam clearance operation, and the like can be performed. In the above-described printer apparatus, a sheet pressing member such as a pinch roller is pressed against a sheet supporting member such as a guide roller by a leaf spring member. However, in this case, the state in which the sheet pressing member is separated from the sheet supporting member against the pressing force of the leaf spring member may be continuously and manually maintained during maintenance work or the like. appear. For this reason, it is necessary to perform maintenance work and jam clearance work with one hand,
The operation is complicated and the work efficiency is reduced. In order to solve such a problem, there is a printer device in which a dedicated mechanism for holding a paper pressing member at a position separated from a paper support member is provided by a locking claw or the like. It becomes complicated, and the size and weight are reduced and productivity is reduced. [0008] An image printing mechanism for printing an image on printing paper sequentially conveyed by a paper conveying mechanism is provided, and a paper supporting member for movably supporting the printing paper is provided.
A paper pressing member for pressing and holding the printing paper is provided on the paper supporting member, and a member supporting mechanism for rotatably supporting the paper pressing member so as to contact and separate from the paper supporting member is provided. In a printer device provided with a leaf spring member that presses the paper pressing member rotatably supported by a support mechanism toward the paper supporting member at a leading end thereof, the paper pressing member separated from the paper supporting member may be provided. A holding portion which is detachably engaged is formed at a distal end portion of the leaf spring member. The paper pressing member is held at a position separated from the paper supporting member by engaging the holding portion of the leaf spring member with the paper pressing member separated from the paper supporting member. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that directions such as front and rear, up and down, and the like in this embodiment are defined for the sake of convenience for simplification of description, and do not limit the directions of installation and use of an actual device. First, in the label printer 1 illustrated in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The label sheet 4 is a printing sheet in which a large number of labels 3 are releasably attached to the surface of the sheet at a fixed interval, and the tag sheet is a printing sheet in which tags in which indices are individually formed with black printing marks are connected. (Not shown) is selectively set in a sheet transport mechanism 5 which is a paper transport mechanism. The sheet transport mechanism 5 includes a supply roller 6, sheet guides 7 and 8, a guide roller 9 serving as a sheet supporting member, and a pinch roller 10 serving as a part of a sheet pressing member.
And a platen roller 11 and a stepping motor (not shown). Therefore, in the present embodiment, a case where the label sheet 4 is used as printing paper will be sequentially described below. The sheet conveying mechanism 5 includes a supply roller 6, sheet guides 7 and 8, a guide roller 9 as a sheet supporting member, a pinch roller 10, a platen roller 11, and a stepping roller as a part of a sheet pressing member. It is composed of a motor (not shown) and the like. The guide roller 9 and the platen roller 11 are supported by the main body frame in a cantilever state, and are connected to one stepping motor (not shown) by a drive belt, and are synchronized with the rotation of the stepping motor. And rotate at the same time. A peeling member 12 for bending the mount 2 of the label sheet 4 at a sharp angle to peel off the label 3 is provided in front of the platen roller 11. Also,
A mount winding mechanism 13 for winding the mount 2 from which the label 3 of the label sheet 4 has been separated is provided at a rear portion below the separating member 12.
Here, the sheet guides 14 and 15 and the winding roller 16 are used here.
And a stepping motor (not shown). Further, in the label printer 1, a thermal head 17 serving as an image printing mechanism is pressed against the platen roller 11 so as to freely contact and separate from the platen roller 11, and a gap between the thermal head 17 and the platen roller 11 is formed by the label sheet. 4 passes through. In the label printer 1, a ribbon transport mechanism 22 for sequentially transporting the ink ribbon 21 wound in a roll by the supply roller 18, the take-up roller 19, a stepping motor (not shown), the ribbon guide 20, and the like is configured. The ink ribbon 21 transported by the ribbon transport mechanism 22 passes through the gap between the thermal head 17 and the platen roller 11 in a state where the ink ribbon 21 overlaps the label sheet 4. The platen roller 11, the peeling member 12, the thermal head 17, and the supply roller 1
8, the take-up roller 19, the guide frame 20, and the like are supported by the main body frame of the label printer 1. The guide frame 20 guides the ink ribbon 21 so as to pass through a predetermined transport path, and prevents a finger or the like from coming into contact with the thermal head 17, a head pressing mechanism 34 or a pressing release mechanism 52 described below. are doing. Behind the thermal head 17, a transmission type photo sensor 23 for detecting the ink ribbon 21 is provided.
Is arranged. Behind the thermal head 17 and in front of the guide roller 9, a photo sensor 2 that combines a transmission type and a reflection type for detecting the label sheet 4 is integrated.
4 are juxtaposed. In the label printer 1, FIG.
As shown in the example, the guide roller 9 is rotatably supported by the body frame, and the pinch roller 10 is rotatably and movably supported. That is, the pinch roller 10 is rotatably supported at the tip of a rotatable bracket 25, and the bracket 25 and the pinch roller 10 serve as a paper pressing member.
6 are formed. The roller unit 26 is rotatably supported at the rear end of the bracket 25 by a member supporting mechanism including a rotating shaft 27 and a bearing (not shown). At the position of the pinch roller 10, the guide roller 9 can be freely moved toward and away from the guide roller 9. In the label printer 1, the leaf spring member 2 curved in the rotation direction of the roller unit 26 is used.
The rear end of the sheet spring 8 is mounted on the upper surface of the sheet guide 7 with a screw or a double-sided tape (both not shown). The leaf spring member 28 presses the roller unit 26 from above at the front end. Has become. Here, a concave portion 29 which is a holding portion bent downward at a substantially right angle and a concave portion 2 at a distal end side of the concave portion 29 are provided at the distal end portion of the leaf spring member 28.
A convex portion 30 that is curved in a substantially U-shape is formed upward from 9. Therefore, in this label printer 1, FIG.
As illustrated in (a), the leaf spring member 28 is connected to the bracket 25 of the roller unit 26 by the protrusion 30.
Is pressed downward, and the pinch roller 10 is pressed against the guide roller 9. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the roller unit 26 in which the pinch roller 10 separates from the guide roller 9.
The leaf spring member 28 is attached to the front edge of the bracket 25.
Of the pinch roller 1 engages from above.
0 is separated from the guide roller 9. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the thermal head 17 is mounted on a bracket 31 and
The head unit 32 is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 33 supported by the main body frame so that the head unit 32 can contact and separate from the platen roller 11. The head unit 32 is mounted on the bracket 31.
A leaf spring member 34 serving as a head pressing mechanism is mounted on the upper surface of the head. The leaf spring member 34 is connected to the bracket 31.
Both ends are held by a support portion (not shown) which stands upright. A rotating shaft 3 which is a rotatable support shaft.
The thermal head 17 of the head unit 32 is pressed against the platen roller 11 by the pressing force generated when the pressing cam 36 fixed to 5 comes into contact with the substantially central portion of the leaf spring member 34. ing. The rotating shaft 35 is rotatably supported by the main body frame. A manual operation lever 37 is fixed to one end, and the belt driving mechanism 3 is connected to the other end via a gear train 38.
9 are connected. The belt drive mechanism 39
Are connected to the rotation shaft 27 of the roller unit 26. The projections 41 and 42 of the guide member 40 fixed to the rotation shaft 27 are adapted to engage with the rear end of the bracket 25. More specifically, when the thermal head 17 and the platen roller 11 are in contact with each other via the label sheet 4, the thermal head 17 separates the operation lever 37 from the platen roller 11. When the guide member 40 is rotated in the direction, the guide member 40 rotates in the opposite direction to the operation lever 37 via the gear train 38 and the belt drive mechanism 39. Then, this guide member 40
Is pressed upward on the lower surface of the rear end of the bracket 25, so that the bracket 25 rises against the pressing force of the leaf spring member 28. In the above state, the recess 25 of the leaf spring member 28 is engaged with the
Is held upward, and in this state, the operation lever 3
7, the thermal head 17 is mounted on the platen roller 11
When the bracket 25 is rotated in the direction of contact with the bracket 25, the convex portion 41 of the guide member 40 presses the upper surface of the rear end of the bracket 25 downward, so that the bracket 25 descends. Therefore, as described above, the opening / closing interlocking mechanism 43 for interlocking the opening / closing operation of the head unit 32 and the roller unit 26 is formed by the gear train 38, the belt driving mechanism 39, the guide member 40 and the like. ing. In such a configuration, in the label printer 1, the sheet conveying mechanism 5 is configured such that the guide sheet 9, the pinch roller 10, and the platen roller 11
Are sequentially transported, and the ribbon transport mechanism 22 sequentially transports the ink ribbon 21 by the winding roller 19 and the like. Then, in synchronization with the transport of the label sheet 4 and the ink ribbon 21 by the transport mechanisms 5 and 22, the heating elements (not shown) of the thermal head 17 are selectively driven to generate heat according to the print data. By doing so, the ink of the ink ribbon 21 is selectively transferred to the label 3, and the dot matrix image is printed on the label 3 with the ink. When printing an image by sequentially transporting the label sheet 4 as described above, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, the leaf spring member 28 is formed by the projection 30 and the bracket 25 of the roller unit 26. By pressing the upper surface downward, the pinch roller 10 presses the label sheet 4 against the guide roller 9. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the pressing head 36 presses the bracket 31 of the head unit 32 downward with the leaf spring member 34, so that the thermal head 17 is pressed.
Presses the ink ribbon 21 and the label sheet 4 against the platen roller 11. Therefore, in the label printer 1, when performing operations such as setting of the label sheet 4 and jam clearance, the operation lever 37 is manually rotated to separate the thermal head 17 from the platen roller 11 and The pinch roller 10 is separated from the guide roller 9. More specifically, when the operation lever 37 is rotated upward, the pressing cam 36 also rotates rearward by the rotation shaft 35, so that the thermal head 17 pressed against the pressing cam 36 via the leaf spring member 34. Is rotated upward by a resilient force of a coil spring (not shown) stretched between its front end portion and the upper portion of the main body frame, and separates from the platen roller 11.
Further, the opening and closing interlocking mechanism 4 according to the rotation of the operation lever 37.
3, the guide member 40 also rotates, so that together with the guide member 40, the bracket 25 rotates upward against the pressing force of the leaf spring member 28, and the pinch roller 10 separates from the guide roller 9. At this time, the projection 30 of the leaf spring member 28 moves forward on the upper surface of the bracket 25 that rotates upward and reaches the front edge of the bracket 25. Then, the concave portion 29 of the leaf spring member 28 engages with the front edge of the bracket 25, and therefore, as illustrated in FIG.
The roller unit 26 is held at a position separated from the guide roller 9 by the engagement of the concave portions 29 of 8. By doing so, it is not necessary to manually hold the roller unit 26 upward against the pressing force of the leaf spring member 28 when performing maintenance work, etc., so that the workability is good. Can contribute to improvement in efficiency. In addition, the holding of the roller unit 26 as described above is realized by using the existing leaf spring member 28 and simply forming the concave portion 29 in the leaf spring member 28, and the exclusive locking Since a mechanism such as a nail is not required, the label printer 1 with a simple structure and good workability is realized without increasing the number of parts. When the user who has completed the above maintenance work or the like manually rotates the operation lever 37 to the initial position, the thermal head 17 and the pinch roller 10 return to the printable initial position in conjunction with this operation. The operation is extremely simple. In the label printer 1 according to the present embodiment,
Guide roller 9 for movably supporting label sheet 4
And a pinch roller 1 for pressing and holding the label sheet 4
However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in a printer that prints on a PPC (Plane Paper Copy) sheet using a thermal head (not shown), a printer that presses the platen roller and the thermal head can also be used. As described above, according to the present invention, an image printing mechanism for printing an image on printing paper sequentially conveyed by a paper conveying mechanism is provided, and a paper supporting member for movably supporting the printing paper is provided. A paper pressing member that presses and holds the printing paper on the paper supporting member, and a member support mechanism that rotatably supports the paper pressing member so that the paper pressing member comes into contact with and separates from the paper supporting member. In a printer device provided with a leaf spring member that presses the paper pressing member rotatably supported by a member support mechanism toward the paper supporting member at a leading end, the paper pressing member separated from the paper supporting member The holding portion that is detachably engaged with the sheet spring member is formed at the distal end portion of the leaf spring member. Since it is not necessary to manually hold the paper pressing member against the pressing force of the member, it is possible to contribute to improvement of workability. Therefore, a printer device having a simple structure and good workability can be obtained without increasing the number of parts, since it is realized only by forming the holding portion on the leaf spring member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates the relationship between a guide roller as a paper support member, a pinch roller as a paper pressing member, and a leaf spring member of a label printer as an embodiment of the printer device of the present invention. It is a side view. FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view illustrating the internal structure of the label printer. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of an interlocking mechanism between a head support mechanism and a roller support mechanism. DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 printer 4 printing paper 5 paper transport mechanism 9 paper support member 17 image printing mechanism 26 paper pressing member 27 member support mechanism 28 leaf spring member 29 holding unit

(56) References JP-A-61-242866 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 15/04 B41J 13/00-13/20

Claims (1)

(57) Claims 1. An image printing mechanism for printing an image on printing paper sequentially conveyed by a paper conveying mechanism is provided, and a paper supporting member for movably supporting the printing paper is provided. A paper pressing member that presses and holds the printing paper on the paper supporting member is provided, and a member support mechanism that rotatably supports the paper pressing member so as to contact and separate from the paper supporting member is provided. In a printer apparatus provided with a leaf spring member that presses the paper pressing member rotatably supported by a mechanism toward the paper supporting member at a leading end thereof, the printer device includes a sheet pressing member that is separated from the paper supporting member. A printer device, wherein a holding portion detachably engaged is formed at a distal end portion of the leaf spring member.