JP3413825B2 - Serial printer device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus used for a printer, a facsimile or the like, and relates to a serial printer for printing on fed paper. 2. Description of the Related Art In this type of serial printer, in addition to detecting whether or not a printer head has been returned to an origin position, it also determines whether or not a fed sheet has been sent to a printable position. Must be detected. FIGS. 4A and 4B are views for explaining a conventional serial printer, in which FIG. 4A is a left side view, FIG. 4B is a top view, and FIG. 4C is a right side view. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a sheet feeder for storing a plurality of sheets 1. Paper 1 in sheet feeder 100
Are taken out one by one by a paper feed roller 101 and sent out to a printable position by a drive roller 200. In the drawing, reference numeral 300 denotes a discharge roller. A paper detection lever 102 and a transmissive photo sensor 105 are provided to detect whether or not the paper 1 has reached a printable position. The sheet detection lever 102 is pivotally supported at a substantially central portion of the frame 103, and a piece 1021 is provided at a base end thereof. On the other hand, the photo sensor 104 is a plate material 104
And detects whether the piece 1021 has approached or not. That is, when the paper 1 is fed by the paper feed roller 101, the leading end of the paper detection lever 102
, The sheet detection lever 102 is tilted, and the piece 1021 is detached from the photo sensor 105 accordingly.
Then, when the paper 1 is sent out to the printable position,
Contrary to the above, the leading end of the paper detection lever 102 does not contact the paper 1, and as a result, the paper detection lever 102
Returns to the original position, and accordingly, the piece 1021 enters the photo sensor 105. By observing the change in the output signal of the photo sensor 105, it can be determined whether or not the sheet 1 has been sent to the printable position. [0007] In the figure, reference numeral 400 denotes a printer head unit for performing printing on the paper 1 that has reached the printable position, and 500 denotes a head moving mechanism for alternately moving the printer head unit 400 in the row direction. The head moving mechanism 500 includes a carrier 501 for detachably supporting the printer head unit 400, a main shaft 502 for rotatably supporting the carrier 501 in the row direction, a stepping motor 505, and a stepping motor 505. It is composed of a belt 504 and the like for converting a rotational motion into a linear motion of the carrier 501. In order to detect whether or not the printer head unit 400 has returned to the origin position, a transmission type photo sensor 5 is used.
05 is provided. The photo sensor 505 detects whether a piece 5011 provided on the back side of the carrier 501 has approached. That is, when the printer head unit 400 returns to the origin position, the piece 5011 is
The change in the output signal of the photo sensor 505 can be seen from the change in the output signal of the photo sensor 505, thereby determining whether or not the printer head unit 400 has returned to the origin position. [0011] However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional example, since two sensors, ie, the photosensors 105 and 505, are required, the price of the sensor itself and the I / O of the microcomputer are required. In terms of the number of O ports, wiring work, and the like, there is a problem that it is difficult to promote the cost reduction of the device itself. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a serial printer capable of omitting one sensor. In order to solve the above problems, a serial printer according to the present invention comprises a head moving mechanism for alternately moving a printer head in a row direction along a main axis, and a printer head. A proximity sensor that is disposed at a position where the origin position of the printer head can be detected and detects whether or not the printer head has approached, and a tip end portion is movable from a detection position by the proximity sensor to a non-detection position. A connecting arm whose base end is pivotally supported, and a member provided for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet fed to a printable position, wherein the leading end is in contact with the surface of the sheet from an upper position where A sheet detection lever having a base end pivotally supported so as to be movable toward a lower position, and a sheet detection lever in a direction such that the tip of the sheet detection lever presses on the surface of the sheet. An elastic member that applies an urging force to the lever, and when the tip of the paper detection lever is at the upper position, the tip of the connecting arm is at the non-detection position of the proximity sensor, while the tip of the paper detection lever is A connection mechanism is provided for connecting between the paper detection lever and the connection arm such that the tip of the connection arm is at the non-detection position of the proximity sensor when in the lower position. Further, a serial printer device according to the present invention.
Has the following configuration. That is, the connection arm has a shaft core rotatably supported in a vertical direction perpendicular to the main shaft, and a detection target of the proximity sensor and a peripheral surface of a distal end portion of the shaft core. A rotating plate provided in a horizontal direction, the paper detection lever is disposed in parallel with the main shaft, and is rotatably supported on a shaft center; A lever piece provided diagonally downward on the side surface, the connection mechanism includes a rotation transmission plate provided upward on the base end side of the shaft center of the paper detection lever, and a rotation transmission plate provided on the base end side of the connection arm. The rotating plate has a rotating rod provided at a 90-degree pitch interval and oriented in the horizontal direction, and a receiving groove into which the leading end of the rotating rod is inserted is formed at the leading end of the rotation transmitting plate. Yes,
By making the groove width of the receiving groove larger than the diameter of the rotating rod, the connection between the rotating rod and the rotation transmitting plate has a play . Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a serial printer device, FIG. 2 is a partial schematic top view and a sectional view for explaining the operation of the serial printer device, and FIG. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a state in which paper before printing is not fed, and FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating a state during printing. FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing the signal output of the proximity switch, the operation of the carrier driving motor, and the like for each state. The serial printer device described here prints on paper fed by a sheet feeder similarly to the device shown in FIG. However, the difference from this apparatus is that the detection of whether or not the printer head is at the origin position and the detection of whether or not the fed paper has been sent to the printable position are performed by one sensor (the proximity sensor 20). ). First, the basic configuration will be described with reference to FIG. In the drawing, reference numeral 10 denotes a printer head corresponding to an ink pen or the like in the case of the ink jet system, which is configured to perform printing on the paper 1. In the figure, reference numeral 60 denotes a head moving mechanism for alternately moving the printer head unit 10 in the row direction (A direction in the figure). This includes a carrier 61 for detachably supporting the printer head unit 10, a main shaft 62 for rotatably supporting the carrier 61 in the row direction, a carrier driving motor (not shown) as a stepping motor, and a carrier. It is composed of a belt 63 for converting the rotational movement of the drive motor into a linear movement of the carrier 61. On the back side of the carrier 61, a piece 611 as a detection target of the proximity sensor 20 is provided. As the proximity sensor 20, a transmission type photo sensor is used. The proximity sensor 20 is provided at a position where the origin position of the printer head unit 10 can be detected, and detects whether or not the piece 611 has approached, and thus, whether or not the printer head unit 10 has approached. I have. Further, the rotating plate 3 of the connecting arm 30 described below is used.
2 is also detected whether or not they are close to each other. The object to be detected is the proximity sensor 20.
When the sensor enters the detection position, the proximity sensor 2
While the output signal of “0” is ON, the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 is OFF when the output signal is at a non-detection position away from the proximity sensor 20. The proximity sensor 20 is fixed to a frame (not shown) of the serial printer. The connecting arm 30 has a shaft core 31 rotatably supported in a vertical direction perpendicular to the main shaft 62.
When being rotated plate 32 Toka et construction provided toward the horizontal direction to the tip peripheral side surface of the shaft 31. The shaft core 31
Is supported by a frame (not shown) of the serial printer device. In the figure, reference numeral 40 denotes a sheet detection lever provided for detecting the presence or absence of the sheet 1 sent to a printable position. The paper detection lever 40 is disposed in parallel with the main shaft 62 and is rotatably supported on a shaft core 41.
The shaft core 41 includes a lever piece 42 provided obliquely downward on the peripheral side surface of the distal end portion, and a rotation transmission plate 43 provided upward on the base side peripheral side surface of the shaft core 41. Note that the shaft center 41 is located directly below the shaft center 31 of the connecting arm 30 and is supported by a frame (not shown) of the serial printer device. A U-shaped portion 43 is provided at the tip of the rotation transmitting plate 43.
1 is formed. An empty portion at the center of the U-shaped portion 431 has a 90-degree pitch with the rotating plate 32 on the peripheral side surface of the base end of the shaft core 31.
Connecting rods 33 provided at the pitch and in the horizontal direction
Is formed as a receiving groove 4311 into which the tip of the groove is inserted. The groove width of the receiving groove 4311 is set to be larger than the diameter of the connecting rod 33. As a result, the connection between the connecting rod 33 and the rotation transmitting plate 43 is mechanically connected with play. This is illustrated as a coupling mechanism α. That is, the connecting mechanism α is a mechanism for connecting the paper detecting lever 40 and the connecting arm 30 to each other.
Is converted into a rotational motion in the direction C in FIG. This will be described in more detail. Paper detection lever 40
When the leading end of the lever piece 42 is in the upper position (see FIG. 3C) where it can come into contact with the surface of the paper 1 that has reached the printable position, the rotation transmission plate 43 stands vertically and the connecting arm 30 rotary plates 32 have entered the proximity sensor 20 and are at the detection position. In this state, when the leading end of the lever piece 42 of the paper detection lever 40 moves to a lower position slightly lower than the surface of the paper 1 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B), the paper detection lever 40 , The rotation transmitting plate 43 slightly tilts in the direction of the splitter head unit 10, the connecting arm 30 rotates a predetermined angle in the direction C in the drawing, and the rotating plate 32 Away from the non-detection position. When the tip of the lever piece 42 moves from the lower position to the upper position, the operation is reverse to the above. In the figure, reference numeral 50 denotes an elastic member provided between the rotation transmitting plate 43 and a frame (not shown) of the serial printer device. Here, a spring is used. The elastic member 40 is provided on the sheet 1 on which the lever piece 42 comes to the printable position.
Is applied to the rotation transmitting plate 43 in such a direction as to press the surface of the rotation transmitting plate 43. As a result, when there is no sheet 1 at the printable position, the tip of the lever piece 42 is maintained at the lower position. However, when the paper 1 comes to the printable position and the tip of the lever piece 42 is lifted by contact with the surface of the paper 1, the urging force of the elastic member 50 is increased to such an extent that it easily moves from the lower position to the upper position. The size is set. Except for the configuration described above, the configuration is the same as that of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, and a description of this configuration will be omitted. However, the same components as those in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same component numbers in FIGS. 2 and 3. Next, the principle that the proximity sensor 20 can detect whether or not the printer head unit 10 is at the origin position and whether or not the fed paper 1 has been sent to the printable position. Will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. FIG. 2A shows a state where the printer head unit 10 is at the origin position and the sheet 1 is not at the printable position. In this state, the lever piece 4 of the paper detection lever 40
2 is in the lower position, and the rotating plate 3 of the connecting arm 30 is
2 has come to the non-detection position of the proximity sensor 20. However, since the piece 611 of the carrier 61 is at the detection position of the proximity sensor 20, the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 is turned on. FIG. 2B shows a state where the printer head unit 10 is not at the origin position and the sheet 1 is not at the printable position. In this state, the lever piece 4 of the paper detection lever 40
2 is in the lower position, and the rotating plate 3 of the connecting arm 30 is
2 has come to the non-detection position of the proximity sensor 20. In addition, since the piece 611 of the carrier 61 is also at the non-detection position of the proximity sensor 20, the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 is turned off. FIG. 2C shows a state in which the printer head 10 is not at the origin position and the paper 1 is at a printable position. In this state, the piece 611 of the carrier 61 has come to the non-detection position of the proximity sensor 20. However, the tip of the lever piece 42 of the paper detection lever 40 is at the upper position,
Since the rotating plate 32 of the connecting arm 30 is at the detection position of the proximity sensor 20, the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 is O
N. Therefore, unless the printer head unit 10 is at the origin position and the paper 1 is at the printable position, the proximity sensor 20 determines whether the printer head unit 10 is at the origin position. Paper 1 fed
Can be detected whether or not has been sent to the printable position. Next, the operation of the serial printer configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the paper feed drive motor (not shown) is driven to rotate the drive roller 200 and the discharge roller 300 in the normal direction, and the paper 1 remaining in the paper path is discharged.
The origin position of the printer head unit 10 is determined. That is, the carrier driving motor (not shown) is reversely driven to return the printer head unit 10 to the origin position. The carrier driving motor is stopped at the timing when the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 changes from OFF to ON. However, if the printer head unit 10 is simply stopped, the printer head unit 10 will pass through the origin position due to its inertia. Stop at position.
FIG. 2A shows this state. This operation is the initial operation in FIG. Thereafter, the paper feed drive motor is driven to rotate the drive roller 200, the discharge roller 300, and the paper feed roller 101 in the normal direction.
Send out. On the other hand, the carrier driving motor is rotated forward to move the printer head unit 10 to a predetermined position and stop. As a result, the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 changes from ON to OFF. FIG. 2B shows this state. When the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 changes from OFF to ON, the sheet 1 fed from the sheet feeder 100 has been sent to a printable position. This operation is the paper feeding operation in FIG. As long as the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 is ON, the paper 1 is located below the printer head unit 10. In this state, the printer head unit 1 is operated while operating the carrier driving motor and the paper feed driving motor.
By operating 0, printing is performed on the paper 1 line by line. FIG.
(C) shows this state. This operation is the printing operation shown in FIG. Thereafter, when printing of a predetermined number of lines on the paper 1 is completed, the carrier driving motor and the printer head unit 10 are stopped, while the paper feed driving motor is driven to drive the driving roller 200 and the discharge roller. The sheet 300 is rotated forward, and the sheet 1 is discharged. When the output signal of the proximity sensor 20 changes from ON to OFF, the sheet 1 is not at the printable position and the sheet 1 has been discharged, and the operation shifts to an operation of feeding the next sheet 1 from the sheet feeder 100. This series of operations is the discharge operation referred to in FIG. The serial printer according to the present invention is not limited to a printer having a sheet feeder, but may be applied to a printer for printing on continuous paper, a facsimile machine, or the like. The printing method is not limited as long as it is a serial printer. As the proximity sensor, a photo sensor or a magnetic sensor having a different signal output form may be used, and a leaf spring or the like may be used as the elastic member. As described above, in the case of the serial printer according to the present invention, it is determined whether or not the printer head is at the origin position, and whether or not the fed paper has been sent to the printable position. Is detected by one sensor, so that one sensor can be omitted as compared with the conventional example. Therefore, the number of wiring locations is reduced, and the wiring work becomes easier. When the output of the sensor is processed by the microcomputer, the number of required I / O ports can be reduced. The cost of the sensor can be reduced. When these are combined, a significant cost reduction can be achieved as a whole, and the price of the device itself can be reduced. [0045] In addition, since the connecting mechanism has become a very simple configuration, it is possible to achieve a large cost down Ri good, it can be cheaper than the price of the device itself.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and is a partial perspective view of a serial printer device. FIGS. 2A and 2B are partial schematic top views and cross-sectional views for explaining the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A shows a state in which an origin position of a printer head is set, and FIG. FIG. 7C is a diagram illustrating a state in which paper is not fed, and FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing a signal output of a proximity switch, an operation of a carrier driving motor, and the like in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 for each state. 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining a conventional serial printer device, wherein FIG. 4A is a left side view, FIG. 4B is a top view,
(C) is a right side view. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer head unit 20 Proximity sensor 30 Connecting arm 40 Paper detection lever 50 Elastic member 60 Head moving mechanism α Connecting mechanism 1 Paper

Claims (1)

(57) [Claim 1] In a serial printer apparatus for printing on fed paper, a head moving mechanism for alternately moving a printer head section in a row direction along a main axis, A proximity sensor that is provided at a position where the origin position of the printer head can be detected and detects whether the printer head has approached, and the tip can be freely moved from a position detected by the proximity sensor to a non-detection position. A connecting arm whose base end is pivotally supported, and a member provided for detecting the presence / absence of a sheet sent out to a printable position, from a top position where the leading end can contact the surface of the sheet. A sheet detecting lever having a base end pivotally supported so as to be movable to a lower position lower than the surface, and the lever in a direction such that the leading end of the sheet detecting lever presses on the surface of the sheet. An elastic member that applies an urging force to the paper detection lever, and when the tip of the paper detection lever is at the upper position, the tip of the connecting arm is at the detection position or the non-detection position of the proximity sensor, while the tip of the paper detection lever is A coupling mechanism for coupling between the paper detection lever and the coupling arm so that the tip of the coupling arm comes to the non-detection position or the detection position of the proximity sensor when the unit is at the lower position , wherein the coupling arm comprises: Upper and lower sides perpendicular to the main axis
A shaft center rotatably supported in the direction
On the peripheral surface of the tip of the shaft core
And a rotating plate provided in the horizontal direction.
The paper detection lever is disposed parallel to the main axis.
A shaft center rotatably supported and rotatably supported, and a tip end of the shaft center
It consists of a lever piece provided diagonally downward on the peripheral side.
And the connecting mechanism includes a base end of an axis of the paper detecting lever.
A rotation transmission plate provided upward on the side, and the connection arm
At the base end side of the rotating plate at a 90-degree pitch interval and horizontally
A connection rod provided in the direction, and the rotation transmission
A receiving groove into which the tip of the connecting rod is inserted into the tip of the plate is formed.
And the groove width of the receiving groove is larger than the diameter of the connecting rod.
By increasing the distance between the connecting rod and the rotation transmission plate
The connection must have play.
A serial printer device characterized by the following .