JP3570155B2 - Printer and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer of an electronic cash register used in a POS (Point-of-Sales) system or the like, and more particularly to a printer capable of printing on cut sheets such as validation paper and slip paper.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printers that print recording paper, which is a cut sheet, are provided with a detector for detecting the presence or absence of the recording paper, and in particular, an optical detector is often used. However, in the printer, paper dust is generated from the recording paper, and the paper dust accumulates in the optical detector, causing a false detection of the detector.
[0003]
In addition, in recent years, a demand for high reliability, a response to the environment, and the like require a long life and a response to recycled paper. As a result, a large amount of paper dust is generated in the printer.
[0004]
Further, with the development of the POS system and the like, the type of multi-function processing performed by one terminal has been increasing. As a typical example, it is possible to print on continuous paper, cut-sheet paper, and validation paper. Many of them have a paper feed mechanism that can handle at least two or more types of recording paper. In this case, a larger amount of paper dust is generated.
[0005]
In addition, there is a problem that a service call occurs due to an erroneous recognition error, and that the user has to clean the printer and the detector by himself / herself.
[0006]
There is also a problem that the printer cannot be used for a long time.
[0007]
Further, there is a problem that some printers require a user to clean the printer and the detector by themselves, which is troublesome.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly printer that does not require a user to perform any troublesome work.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a printer according to the present invention is configured such that an arm on which a light emitting element is arranged and an arm on which a light receiving element is arranged are connected by forming a substantially U groove, and light emitted from the light emitting element is formed. The detector detects the presence or absence of the detected object by blocking the detected object, and moves either the printing means or the platen opposite the printing means to the position where the cut sheet is detected by the detector. In a printer provided with a transfer path opening / closing means capable of being inserted, a paper dust removing member having an extruding surface passing between immediately below the detection position of the detector and the bottom of the U groove is interlocked with the transfer path opening / closing means. And moving it.
[0010]
Furthermore, the extrusion surface of the paper dust removing member, conveying path switching means is retracted from the detector when opening the conveyance path, characterized by passing the detector when closing the transport path.
[0011]
Further, the arm on which the light-emitting element is arranged and the arm on which the light-receiving element is arranged are substantially connected to each other by forming a U-shaped groove, and light emitted from the light-emitting element is blocked by the object to be detected. Printer having a detector for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet, and a transport path opening / closing means capable of moving either the printing means or a platen facing the printing means and inserting a cut sheet to a position where the detector detects the cut sheet. Wherein the method further comprises the step of moving the paper dust removing member having an extruded surface passing between immediately below the detection position of the detector and the bottom of the U-groove in conjunction with the transport path opening / closing means. And
[0012]
In addition, a step of periodically checking data from the detector, a step of determining that the data indicates the presence of a cut sheet in the absence of cut sheets as an abnormal state, and a step of opening and closing the transport path when the abnormal state is determined. Operating the means at least once or more.
[0013]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the paper dust removing member moves, the pushing surface passes between immediately below the detection position and the bottom of the U groove in conjunction with the conveyance path opening / closing means. Instead, objects in the groove can be eliminated.
[0014]
Further, it is more effective if the configuration is as described in claim 2 .
[0015]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in a state where there is no recording paper, for example, after the recording paper is discharged by the initialization operation, paper dust accumulated in the paper path of the recording paper or around the detector may be removed. When the printer moves or falls for some reason, or a foreign object such as a piece of paper enters the printer and covers the detector, and there is paper, the moving means for moving the platen is operated to move the paper dust removing member. This makes it possible to extrude foreign substances such as paper dust and paper pieces in the detector of the detector. That is, the printer can self-diagnose an error of the recording paper position detector, and if there is an abnormality, can operate the paper dust removing member to perform self-recovery.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
[0017]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of the present embodiment, showing a mechanism unit with a body cover and a case removed, and FIG. 2 shows a mechanism unit with a platen unit removed from the rear side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a platen unit, FIG. 4 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the present embodiment, and shows a state in which the platen unit is closed, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the embodiment, showing a state in which a platen unit is opened, and FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of the present invention, showing a state in which a corresponding platen unit in FIG. 4 is closed. FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of the present invention, and shows a state in which the corresponding platen unit of FIG. 5 is closed.
[0018]
The printer according to the present embodiment performs printing using a cassette-shaped ink ribbon, and generally includes a printer mechanism unit 1 including a printing mechanism, a paper feeding mechanism, a ribbon feeding mechanism, a detection mechanism, and the like. You.
[0019]
The printer mechanism unit 1 includes a base frame 2 formed by bending a metal plate such as a mild steel plate, a paper feed frame 3 and a ribbon frame 4 to form a main body frame. The main body frame is provided with a print head 6 and the like. Be composed. In this case, a ribbon frame 4 for mounting the ribbon cassette 5 on the base frame 2 is provided at the front of the printer mechanism unit 1, and the ribbon cassette 5 is mounted as shown in FIG.
[0020]
On the back side of the ribbon frame 4, a printing unit 19 described later is provided.
[0021]
On the other hand, a paper feed frame 3 is provided at the rear of the printer mechanism unit 1, and roll paper S is arranged near the paper feed frame 3.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 1, a paper feed motor 7 for transporting the roll paper S and the cut sheet V is attached to one side surface of the paper feed frame 3. The rotational force of the paper feed motor 7 is applied to the roller shafts 15 of the paper feed rollers 13 and 14 provided near the ribbon frame 4 above the paper feed frame 3 via the gears 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Is transmitted. These paper feed rollers 13 and 14 are for transporting the cut sheet V and are made of, for example, an elastic material such as rubber.
[0023]
Further, the rotational force of the paper feed motor 7 is transmitted to the roller shaft 31 of the paper feed roller 24 provided on the paper feed frame 3 via gears 32, 35, and 36, which are another wheel train. The paper feed roller 24 is for transporting the roll paper S.
[0024]
In the vicinity of the paper feed rollers 13 and 14, a platen unit 16 having a driven roller 28 and the like abutting on the paper feed rollers 13 and 14 is provided.
[0025]
FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the printer mechanism unit 1 with the platen unit 16 removed from the rear side.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 2, the roller shafts 15 of the paper feed rollers 13 and 14 are rotatably mounted on the upper part of the paper feed frame 3.
[0027]
On the other hand, below the paper feed rollers 13 and 14, a printing unit 19 for printing on roll paper S and cut sheet V is provided. The printing unit 19 has a print head 6 for pressing the ink ribbon 20 against the roll paper S and the cut sheet V. The longitudinal direction of the ink ribbon 20 pulled out of the ribbon cassette 5 by a transport mechanism (not shown). It is configured to move in a direction.
[0028]
Further, the paper feed frame 3 is provided with a receiving stand 23 for introducing the roll paper S, and a guide surface 23a corresponding to the shape of the paper feed roller 24 is formed thereon. In addition, a driven roller 25 that is in contact with the paper feed roller 24 is provided on the guide surface 23a.
[0029]
An actuator 27 for driving a lever member 26 of the platen unit 16 is attached to a side portion of the paper feed frame 3.
[0030]
FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the platen unit 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the platen unit 16 has a base member 29 made of, for example, resin, and a rotatable driven roller 28 is attached to a portion located at an upper portion when the platen unit 16 is attached to the paper feed frame 3. . The driven roller 28 comes into contact with the paper feed rollers 13 and 14. A manual cutter 30 is provided above the driven roller 28. The roll paper S is guided by the base member 29 and is discharged from between the base member 29 and the manual cutter 30.
[0031]
A platen 33 is provided at a position facing the print head 6.
[0032]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, a paper feed roller 24 for feeding roll paper S is rotatably mounted about a roller shaft 31 below the base member 29. A gear 32 for driving the paper feed roller 24 is attached to one end of the roller shaft 31.
[0033]
A lever member 26 driven by the actuator 27 is rotatably attached to the other end of the roller shaft 31. The lever member is engaged with the projection 26 a and a notch 29 a provided on the base member 29.
[0034]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a guide surface 23b serving as an abutting portion of the paper path of the cut sheet V is formed on the receiving table 23, and a detector 37 for detecting the cut sheet V is disposed in a part thereof. .
[0035]
When the cut sheet V is inserted up to the guide surface 23b of the receiving tray 23 and blocks the detection position 37a of the detector 37, the presence of paper can be detected.
[0036]
As shown in FIG. 6, there is provided a lever 41 which comes into contact with the lever member 26 by a spring 44 and rotates about a fulcrum shaft 42, and the lever 41 is engaged with a paper removing member 43. Then, one end of the sheet removing member 43 reaches just below the detecting section 37b of the detector 37 for detecting the cut sheet V.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 4, the paper removing member 43 is guided by the back surface of the guide surface 23b of the receiving base 23 and is slidably held.
[0038]
Next, a case where printing is performed on the roll paper S and the cut sheet V in the present embodiment will be described.
[0039]
First, when printing on the roll paper S, as shown in FIG. 4, the actuator 27 is driven to bring the driven roller 28 of the platen unit 16 into contact with the paper feed rollers 13 and 14 via the lever 26. When printing on the cut sheet V is not performed, the driven roller 28 and the paper feed rollers 13 and 14 are always kept in contact with each other. The roll paper S passes through a paper path formed by the base member 29 of the platen unit 16 and the upper surface of the receiving stand 23, performs printing between the print head 6 and the platen 33, and passes between the base member 29 and the manual cutter 30. Is discharged.
[0040]
At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the actuator 27 is held in the arrow X direction. The lever 41 rotates in the direction of the arrow Y by the spring 44 about the paper dot axis 41 and is in contact with the lever member 26. As a result, the paper removing member 43 engaged with the lever 41 moves in the direction of the arrow Z, and the pushing surface 43a is held at a position where it has passed the detector 37.
[0041]
When printing on the roll paper S, the detector is not operated, so that the paper dust does not matter irrespective of the paper dust or the piece of paper. Therefore, the paper removing member 43 needs to operate. However, the paper dust generated by printing the roll paper S is deposited in the paper path and on the detector 37.
[0042]
Next, a case where the cut sheet V is printed will be described.
[0043]
As shown in FIG. 5, the actuator 27 is opened in the direction of arrow L, the platen unit 16 is opened via the lever 26, the paper path of the cut sheet V is formed, and the insertion of the cut sheet V is waited. . At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the operation of the actuator 27 in the direction of the arrow L causes the lever 41 to rotate in the direction of the arrow M about the fulcrum shaft 42, whereby the sheet removing member engaged with the lever 41 is rotated. 43 moves in the direction of arrow N, and the pushing surface 43a is held at a position retracted from the detector 37.
[0044]
Then, the cut sheet V is dropped from above the paper feed rollers 13 and 14. As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the cut-sheet paper V can be set very easily because the cut-sheet paper V is formed so that the paper path is substantially vertical. The inserted cut sheet V is inserted up to the guide surface 23b of the receiving tray 23 and blocks the detecting portion 37b of the detector 37.
[0045]
However, due to the inserting operation, the leading end of the cut sheet V may insert the paper dust accumulated in the paper path to the detecting portion 37b of the detector 37, and the pushing surface 43a of the sheet removing member 43 moves in the arrow N direction. The paper dust accumulates immediately below the detection unit 37b of the detector 37 that has moved and retracted.
[0046]
When the detector detects the presence of the paper, the actuator 27 is driven in the direction of arrow X, and the driven roller 28 of the platen unit 16 and the paper feed rollers 13 and 14 are brought into contact via the lever 26 to cut the cut sheet V. Return to the state shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, when the actuator 27 is driven in the direction of the arrow X, the lever 41 rotates in the direction of the arrow Y around the paper dot axis 41, and thereby the paper removing member engaged with the lever 41. Reference numeral 43 moves in the direction of arrow Z, and the pushing surface 43a can pass through the detector 37 and push out the paper dust that accumulates directly below the detecting portion 37b of the detector 37.
[0047]
Then, the paper feed motor 7 as shown in FIG. 1 is rotated and transmitted to the roller shafts 15 of the paper feed rollers 13 and 14 provided on the upper part of the paper feed frame 3 via the gears 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Then, the cut sheet V is fed by the rotation of the paper feed rollers 13 and 14. At this time, printing is performed on a portion passing between the print head 6 and the platen 33.
[0048]
By this operation, every time the cut sheet V is printed, the pushing surface 43a of the sheet removing member 43 can pass through the detector 37 and push out the paper dust accumulated just below the detecting portion 37b of the detector 37. Even if powder is generated, erroneous detection of the detector 37 does not occur.
[0049]
In addition, the pushing surface 43a of the paper removing member 43 is retracted from the detector 37 in accordance with the opening operation of the platen unit 16 and passes through the detector 37 by closing, so that only the paper powder naturally deposited on the detector 37 is used. The paper dust in the paper path pushed to the detector 37 when the cut sheet V is inserted can be pushed out by the closing operation of the platen unit 16 immediately after setting the cut sheet V, so that the paper dust is more reliably removed. And the detection error of the detector 37 does not occur.
[0050]
Further, the state in which the detector 37 should not originally detect the cut sheet V, for example, immediately after the initializing operation (cut sheet V discharging operation) at the time of turning on the power, or after the cut sheet V is printed paper discharging operation. In the above, the presence or absence of the cut sheet V is checked periodically or constantly, and when the presence of paper is detected (there is a foreign matter such as paper dust and a piece of paper in the detection unit 37b), the actuator 27 is driven to open and close the platen unit 16. Perform the operation several times. By this operation, the paper removing member 43 can remove foreign matters such as paper dust and paper chips in the detection section 37b, and can prevent the occurrence of an error of the printer and can realize a printer that can automatically return.
[0051]
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes can be made. For example, although the power source for driving the paper dust removing member 43 is the actuator 27 for driving the platen unit 16, another power may be used. Further, although the printer type is a composite printer capable of printing on roll paper and cut paper, a printer using only cut paper may be used. However, when applied to a multifunction printer, it is most effective because paper dust is more generated.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the paper dust removing member moves to remove paper dust and the like accumulated in the detector, so that the printer does not stop due to an error and the service call can be eliminated.
[0053]
Moreover, since the paper dust removing member is moved in conjunction with the conveyance path shutter means for opening and closing the transport path of the cut-sheet paper, so eliminating that of the groove immediately before use a signal of the detector, the detector Reliability is improved.
[0054]
Furthermore, even if foreign matter paper such as not only the paper powder when there is no present come cut sheet paper enters the detector, detects it and by operating several times paper dust removing member, foreign matter can be removed.
[0055]
As described above, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a printer error due to paper dust or the like, and to supply a printer that can automatically recover. In other words, usability can be dramatically improved, and a highly reliable printer that is maintenance-free can be supplied to the market.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the printer mechanism unit with the platen unit removed in the embodiment from the rear.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a platen unit in the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the same embodiment, showing a state in which a platen unit is closed.
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the same embodiment, showing a state in which a platen unit is opened.
FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration perspective view showing a main part of the embodiment, showing a state in which a platen unit is closed.
FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration perspective view showing a main part of the embodiment, showing a state where a platen unit is opened.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 frame base mechanical unit 2 base frame 3 paper feed frame 4 ribbon frame 5 ribbon cassette 6 print head 7 paper feed motor 13, 14 paper feed roller 16 platen unit 19 print unit 20 ink ribbon 23 cradle 24 paper feed roller 26 lever member 27 Actuator 28 Follower roller 29 Base member 31 Roller shaft 33 Platen 37 Detector 37a Detected position 37b Detector 41 Support shaft 42 Lever 43 Paper removal member 44 Spring

Claims (4)

The arm on which the light emitting element is arranged and the arm on which the light receiving element is arranged are connected by forming a substantially U-shaped groove, and the light emitted from the light emitting element is cut off by the object to thereby detect the object. A detector for detecting the presence or absence, and a transport path opening / closing means capable of moving either the printing means or the platen facing the printing means and inserting a cut sheet to a position where the cut sheet is detected by the detector. In the printer,
A printer, wherein a paper dust removing member having an extruding surface passing between a position immediately below a detection position of the detector and a bottom of the U groove is moved in conjunction with the transport path opening / closing means. The extrusion surface of the paper dust removing member, claims the conveyance path switching means is retracted from said detector when opening the conveyance path, characterized by passing the detector when closing the conveying path 2. The printer according to 1. The arm on which the light emitting element is arranged and the arm on which the light receiving element is arranged are connected by forming a substantially U-shaped groove, and the light emitted from the light emitting element is cut off by the object to thereby detect the object. A detector for detecting the presence or absence, and a transport path opening / closing means capable of moving either the printing means or the platen facing the printing means and inserting a cut sheet to a position where the cut sheet is detected by the detector. In the method of controlling a printer,
A step of moving a paper dust removing member having an extruding surface passing between a position immediately below a detection position of the detector and a bottom of the U groove in conjunction with the transport path opening / closing means. How to control the printer. Periodically checking the data from the detector;
Determining that the data indicates the presence of the cut sheet in the absence of the cut sheet as abnormal;
4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of: operating the transport path opening / closing means at least once when the abnormality is determined.

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