JP3732790B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer that conveys paper and prints on the paper.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a printer in which roll paper, which is paper in a paper guide path, is transported by a transport unit while guiding both front and back sides of the paper and both sides with respect to the paper transport direction by a paper guide unit, and printing is performed on the paper by a printing unit. .
[0003]
FIG. 11 shows a paper guide portion of such a conventional printer. As shown in FIG. 11, the paper guide unit 100 includes a paper front surface guide 101, a paper width guide 102, and a paper back surface guide 103. The paper guide unit 100 is formed in a U shape and is disposed so that the openings face each other. The pair of sheet guides 104 and 105 are configured. The paper surface guide 101 guides the front surface of the paper A, the paper back surface guide 103 guides the back surface of the paper A, and the paper width guide 102 guides both sides of the paper A in the paper transport direction. The paper guide unit 100 forms a paper guide path 106.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional printer as described above, in setting the paper on the paper guide path 106 in the paper guide unit 100, the paper A must be set between the pair of paper guides 104 and 105, and workability is poor. There is a problem. The paper jam processing in the paper guide path 106 in the paper guide unit 100 also has a problem that workability is similarly poor because the work space is narrow.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to facilitate paper setting work on a paper guide path and paper jam processing work on a paper guide path.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The printer of the present invention includes a conveyance unit that conveys a sheet, a printing unit that prints on the conveyed sheet, and a pair of sheet front and back guides (for example, a sheet surface guide and a sheet back surface guide) that guide the front and back surfaces of the sheet. ) And a pair of sheet width guides that are movable in the width direction of the sheet and that guide both sides of the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction. For example, the paper front surface guide) is held in a cantilever structure at one side in the width direction of the paper, and moves close to and away from the other paper front / back surface guide (for example, paper back surface guide) with the cantilever structure side as a fulcrum. The sheet front and back guides that are movable are arranged so as to face the sheet width guide and form an entry space that allows the sheet width guide to enter. Comprising a first sheet surface guide and the second sheet surface guides positioned in the paper conveyance direction upstream and downstream side, the paper width guide, and one the paper front and rear surfaces guide to be moved independently provided Yes.
[0007]
Therefore, by separating one paper front / back surface guide from the other paper front / back surface guide, the space between one paper front / back surface guide and the other paper front / back surface guide is opened.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The present embodiment is an application example to a so-called center reference thermal printer in which the paper positioning reference is the center in the paper width direction orthogonal to the paper transport direction, and roll paper is applied as the paper.
[0009]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the external appearance of a printer. As shown in FIG. 1, a discharge port 3 through which printed paper A (see FIG. 4) is discharged is formed on the front surface of the main body housing 2 of the printer 1. On the left side of the main body housing 2, a control box 6 having various operation keys 4 and a display unit 5 on the front surface is provided. Inside the control box 6, a control unit (not shown) that drives and controls each unit included in the printer 1 is provided. A cover 7 that opens and closes the inside of the main body housing 2 is provided on the right side of the main body housing 2. The cover 7 is provided so as to be rotatable upward about a hinge 8 provided on the control box 6 side on the upper surface of the main body housing 2.
[0010]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the printer 1 in a state where the cover 7 is opened and the paper guide path is opened, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the cantilever unit is in the open position. 4 is a longitudinal side view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer 1, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the cantilever unit fixed to the holding side plate. 2 and 3 show some members omitted, and FIG. 4 shows a state in which the paper A and the ink ribbon B are set.
[0011]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the printer housing 1 has a main body housing 2 with a paper holding portion 9 for storing and holding a roll paper as the paper A, a driving roller 10 and a pinch roller block 11. A printing unit 15 having a platen 13 and a head block 14 for printing on paper A, an ink ribbon supply unit 16 for supplying ink ribbon B to the printing unit 15, a sensor 17 for detecting paper A, A paper guide unit 18 that guides the paper A is provided. In the main body housing 2, a paper guide path that guides the paper A from the paper holding unit 9 to the discharge port 3 through the paper guide unit 18, the sensor 17, the transport unit 12, and the printing unit 15. 19 is provided.
[0012]
The pinch roller block 11 and the head block 14 are attached to and integrated with the sheet metal frame 20 to constitute a cantilever unit 21 that is rotatable with respect to the main body housing 2. Here, one end of each of the pinch roller block 11 and the head block 14 is fixed to the sheet metal frame 20. That is, the pinch roller block 11 and the head block 14 are held by the sheet metal frame 20 in a cantilever structure.
[0013]
The cantilever unit 21 is rotatable between an operating position where printing can be performed and an open position where the pinch roller block 11 and the head block 14 are separated from the driving roller 10 and the platen 13 to open the paper guide path 19. It is said that. The free end of the cantilever unit 21 is fixed to the main body housing 2 by a holding side plate 22 provided in the main body housing 2 in the operating position. Thereby, the improvement of the positioning accuracy of the member which comprises the cantilever unit 21, and rigidity ensuring are achieved. The holding side plate 22 is between a fixing position (FIG. 5) for fixing the cantilever unit 21 to the main body housing 2 and a fixing release position (FIG. 2) for releasing the fixing of the cantilever unit 21 to the main body housing 2. The main body housing 2 is rotatably attached.
[0014]
Here, the mounting structure of the cantilever unit 21 will be described in detail. 6 is a plan view showing the mounting structure of the cantilever unit 21, FIG. 7 shows the mounting structure of the cantilever unit 21, (a) is a front view showing the state where the cantilever unit 21 is in the operating position, and (b). FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state where the cantilever unit 21 is in an open position.
[0015]
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the sheet metal frame 20 is opposed to the sheet metal frame 20 through the side plate 23 of the control box 6 from one surface of the control box 6 side and extending into the control box 6 with a gap in the sheet conveyance direction. A pair of arms 24 and 25 are formed. These arms 24 and 25 are rotatably held by a support shaft 26 provided on one side of the sheet guide path 19 and inside the control box 6. The axial direction of the support shaft 26 is the same as the paper transport direction. The cantilever unit 21 rotates with the support shaft 26 as a fulcrum.
[0016]
The cantilever unit 21 is pulled upward by the coil springs 27a and 27b functioning as tension springs so as to rotate from the operating position to the open position. These coil springs 27 a and 27 b are supported by the arms 24 and 25 and the upper part of the main body housing 2, respectively. When the cantilever unit 21 is located at the operating position, the position is fixed against the pulling force of the coil springs 27a and 27b by a fixing member (not shown). The fixing member is composed of a pair of magnets respectively provided on the cantilever unit 21 and the main body housing 2, and fixes the cantilever unit 21 in the operating position by the magnetic force thereof.
[0017]
Each part provided inside the main body housing 2 of the printer 1 will be described in detail below.
[0018]
First, the printing unit 15 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the head block 14 constituting the printing unit 15 includes a thermal head 28 as a print head, a head pressure adjustment mechanism 29, and the thermal head 28 and the head pressure adjustment mechanism 29. The head block cover 30 is held. The head block cover 30 has an auxiliary side plate 31 that is opposed to the sheet metal frame 20 at a predetermined interval, and is fixed to the sheet metal frame 20. The thermal head 28 is held by the sheet metal frame 20 and the auxiliary side plate 31 of the head block cover 30 so as to come into contact with and separate from the platen 13 via the paper guide path 19. Here, the thermal head 28 contacts the platen 13 with the cantilever unit 21 in the operating position. The head pressure adjusting mechanism 29 adjusts the pressure that contacts the platen 13 of the thermal head 28 by pressing the thermal head 28. In the printing unit 15, the ink ribbon B (see FIG. 4) is interposed between the thermal head 28 pressed by the head pressure adjusting mechanism 29 and the paper A, and the heating element of the thermal head generates heat, thereby printing. Done.
[0019]
In addition, the head block 14 is provided with a head-up mechanism (not shown). The head-up mechanism moves the head to a head-up position separated from the paper A when the paper A is transported without being printed by the thermal head 28 in the printing operation.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, the platen 13 is rotatably held by a side plate 23 of the control box 6 and a side plate 32 erected on the bottom plate of the main body housing 2 so as to face the side plate 23. The platen 13 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) provided inside the control box 6. Then, when the platen 13 is rotationally driven, the paper A sandwiched between the thermal head 28 and the platen 13 is conveyed along the paper guide path 19. That is, the platen 13 also functions as a transport unit that transports the paper A.
[0021]
Next, the transport unit 12 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the pinch roller block 11 constituting the transport unit 12 includes a pinch roller body 33 and a roller block cover 34 that holds the pinch roller body 33. The roller block cover 34 has an auxiliary side plate 35 that is opposed to the sheet metal frame 20 at a predetermined interval, and is fixed to the sheet metal frame 20. The pinch roller body 33 is disposed so as to face the driving roller 10 via the paper guide path 19 and is held so as to be able to contact and separate from the driving roller 10 by the sheet metal frame 20 and the auxiliary side plate 35 of the roller block cover 34. ing.
[0022]
The pinch roller body 33 is urged so as to come into contact with the drive roller 10 by urging means (not shown) provided in the pinch roller block 11. Here, the pinch roller body 33 contacts the drive roller 10 in a state where the cantilever unit 21 is in the operating position. The pinch roller body 33 spans between the two pinch rollers 36a and 36b disposed at a predetermined interval on the upstream side and the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the driving roller 10 and the pinch rollers 36a and 36b. And a rubber belt 37 that is an endless belt, and functions as a pinch roller.
[0023]
The driving roller 10 is rotatably held by the side plates 23 and 32. The drive roller 10 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) provided inside the control box 6. Then, the drive roller 10 is driven to rotate, so that the paper A sandwiched between the drive roller 10 and the pinch roller body 33 is conveyed along the paper guide path 19.
[0024]
Next, the paper guide portion 18 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the paper guide portion 18, FIG. 9 is a longitudinal side view showing the paper guide portion 18, and FIG. 10 is a longitudinal front view showing the paper guide portion 18.
[0025]
As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the sheet guide unit 18 includes a pair of sheet width guides 38 a and 38 b provided independently of the cantilever unit 21, a sheet back surface guide 39, and a sheet surface guide 40. Thus, a part of the sheet guide path 19 is formed.
[0026]
The pair of paper width guides 38a and 38b guide both sides of the paper A in the paper transport direction. The sheet back surface guide 39 is composed of a pair of sheet back surface guides 39 a and 39 b facing the back surfaces of both sides of the sheet A. These paper back guides 39a and 39b are formed integrally with the paper width guides 38a and 38b and guide the back side of the paper A. The paper surface guide 40 is provided independently of the paper width guides 38a and 38b and the paper back surface guides 39a and 39b so as to oppose the paper width guides 38a and 38b, and opposes the surface which is the recording surface of the paper A. Guide the surface of the paper A. Here, the paper back guide 39 and the paper front guide 40 constitute a pair of paper front and back guides for guiding the front and back of the paper A.
[0027]
The paper width guides 38 a and 38 b are held movably in the width direction of the paper A by a rack and pinion mechanism 43 including racks 41 a and 41 b and a pinion 42. Racks 41a and 41b are attached to the paper width guides 38a and 38b, respectively. These racks 41a and 41b are arranged to face each other in a direction orthogonal to the paper transport direction. The racks 41a and 41b mesh with the pinion 42 and move in opposite directions.
[0028]
The paper surface guide 40 is held in a cantilever structure on one side of the paper guide path 19 (that is, one side in the paper width direction), and is rotatably provided so as to be close to and away from the paper back surface guide 39. It has been. Specifically, the paper surface guide 40 is formed at the lower end portion of the roller block cover 34 constituting the cantilever unit 21. That is, the sheet front surface guide 40 has an operation position for guiding the sheet A during the printing operation around the support shaft 26 located on one side of the sheet guide path 19 via the sheet metal frame 20, and the sheet rear surface. It is provided so as to be rotatable between an open position where the paper guide path 19 is opened away from the guide 39.
[0029]
The sheet surface guide 40 includes a first sheet surface guide 40a located upstream of the sheet width guides 38a and 38b in the sheet conveying direction, and a second sheet surface positioned downstream of the sheet width guides 38a and 38b in the sheet conveying direction. It is comprised by the guide 40b. An entry space C is formed between the first and second paper surface guides 40a and 40b. The paper width guides 38a and 38b can freely enter and leave the entry space C, and the paper width guides 38a and 38b are inserted at the operating position. Even when the paper surface guide 40 is in the operating position, the paper width guides 38a and 38b are movable in the paper width direction in the entry space C.
[0030]
Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the ink ribbon supply unit 16 holds the unused ink ribbon B and supplies it to the printing unit 15, and winds up the used ink ribbon B. And a ribbon take-up shaft 45. The ribbon supply shaft 44 and the ribbon take-up shaft 45 are rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) provided inside the control box 6. The ink ribbon B held on the ribbon supply shaft 44 and supplied to the printing unit 15 is taken up by the ribbon take-up shaft 45 via the space between the thermal head 28 and the platen 13.
[0031]
Next, the sheet holding unit 9 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the paper holding unit 9 includes a paper holding shaft 46 that holds the paper A and a pair of side fences that restrict movement of the paper A held by the paper holding shaft 46 in the width direction. 47a and 47b are provided.
[0032]
In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, as shown in FIG. 4, when a label sheet in which labels are pasted on a base sheet at a predetermined interval is used as a sheet A, on the downstream side of the platen 13 in the main body housing 2 in the sheet conveyance direction. A peeling plate 48 for peeling the label from the mount is provided. Although not particularly illustrated, the mount after the label sheet is peeled off is wound around a mount winding portion provided on the lower side of the main body housing 2.
[0033]
Here, in the present embodiment, an example in which the cantilever unit 21 is configured by the paper surface guide 40, the head block 14, and the pinch roller block 11 is described, but the cantilever unit 21 is not limited thereto. Instead, it may be constituted by paper back guides 39a and 39b.
[0034]
In this embodiment, an example in which the paper width guides 38a and 38b are provided independently of the cantilever unit 21 is described. However, the paper width guides 38a and 38b are not limited to this. Alternatively, the cantilever unit 21 may be provided.
[0035]
In the present embodiment, the printer 1 is described using the center in the width direction of the paper A as a positioning reference for the paper A. However, the printer 1 is not limited to this, and one of the paper A It may be the printer 1 that uses the side portion as the positioning reference for the paper A. In this case, one of the paper width guides 38a and 38b may be provided so as to be movable in the paper width direction.
[0036]
In such a configuration, when the paper A is set in the paper guide path 19, first, the holding side plate 22 is rotated to the fixing release position to release the fixing of the cantilever unit 21 to the side plate 32. Next, the cantilever unit 21 is rotated to the open position to open the paper guide path 19. Then, the paper A held by the paper holding unit 9 is pulled out along the paper back guides 39a and 39b, the driving roller 10, and the platen 13. Next, the sheet width guides 38a and 38b are moved in the sheet width direction in accordance with the width of the sheet A to adjust the position. Next, the cantilever unit 21 is rotated from the open position to the printable position. As a result, the sheet A is set in the sheet guide path 19. Next, the holding side plate 22 is rotated to a fixed position, and the cantilever unit 21 is fixed to the side plate 32. As a result, printing is possible on the paper A.
[0037]
In the printing operation, the paper guide unit 18 rotates the drive roller 10 and the platen 13 with the paper A and the ink ribbon B set on the paper guide path 19 and the printing unit 15 as described above. The paper A is conveyed along the paper guide path 19 while guiding the front and back surfaces and both sides of the paper, and in the course of the conveyance, the ribbon supply shaft 44 and the ribbon take-up shaft 45 are driven to rotate to move the ribbon to the printing unit 15. Printing is performed by supplying and melting a predetermined heating element of the thermal head 28 to melt the ink applied to the ink ribbon B. At this time, the sensor 17 detects whether or not there is a sheet A to be printed on the sheet guide path 19. When the paper is a label paper, the sensor 17 detects a label or black marks printed on the back surface of the paper A at a predetermined interval.
[0038]
As described above, in the printer according to the present embodiment, by rotating the cantilever unit 21 to the open position, the paper surface guide 40 is rotated to the open position, and the paper guide path 19 is opened. The work space for various operations such as the setting operation of A on the paper guide path 19, the jam handling operation of the paper A and the label, the cleaning operation and the inspection operation on the paper guide portion 18 can be expanded, and these operations can be facilitated. Can be planned.
[0039]
Further, in the present embodiment, the transport unit 12 includes a drive roller 10 and a pinch roller body 33 as a pinch roller that faces the drive roller 10 and sandwiches the paper A, and the print unit 15 includes the platen 13 and the print unit 15. The pinch roller body 33 and the thermal head 28 include a thermal head 28 as a head. The pinch roller body 33 and the thermal head 28 are held integrally with a paper surface guide 40 that is one of the moving paper front and back guides. By turning to the open position, in addition to the paper surface guide 40, the head block 14 and the pinch roller block 11 are turned to the open position and the paper guide path 19 is opened. , The work space for various work such as cleaning work and inspection work for the printing unit 15 and the transport unit 12 can be expanded, and those work Together can be facilitated, the setting work of the paper guide path 19 of the paper A, it is possible to further facilitate jam processing operation of the sheet A and label.
[0040]
In the present embodiment, at least one of them is movable in the width direction of the paper A and includes a pair of paper width guides 38a and 38b for guiding both sides of the paper A in the paper conveyance direction. The paper surface guide 40, which is one of the paper front and back surfaces, is disposed opposite to the paper width guides 38a and 38b, and forms an entrance space C that allows the paper width guides 38a and 38b to enter the upstream side in the paper conveyance direction. By providing the first sheet surface guide 40a and the second sheet surface guide 40b positioned at the position, the sheet width guides 38a and 38b can be reliably moved in the sheet width direction.
[0041]
Further, in the present embodiment, the sheet width guides 38a and 38b are provided independently of the sheet surface guide 40 that is one of the moving sheet front and back guides, thereby rotating the sheet surface guide 40. Can be improved.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
According to the printer of the present invention, it is possible to expand a work space for paper setting work and paper jam handling work, thereby facilitating the work.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an appearance of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the printer in a state where a cover is opened and a paper guide path is opened.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the cantilever unit is in an open position.
FIG. 4 is a vertical side view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a cantilever unit fixed to a holding side plate.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a mounting structure of a cantilever unit.
7A and 7B show a mounting structure of a cantilever unit, wherein FIG. 7A is a front view showing a state where the cantilever unit is in an operating position, and FIG. 7B is a front view showing a state where the cantilever unit is in an open position. .
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a paper guide portion.
FIG. 9 is a longitudinal side view showing a paper guide portion.
FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a paper guide portion.
FIG. 11 is a rear view showing a conventional paper guide portion.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer, 10 ... Drive roller, 12 ... Conveyance part, 13 ... Platen, 15 ... Printing part, 28 ... Print head (thermal head), 33 ... Pinch roller (pinch roller body), 38a, 38b ... Paper width guide, 39 ... Paper front / back guide (paper back guide), 40 ... Paper front / back guide (paper front guide), 40a ... First paper surface guide, 40b ... Second paper surface guide, A ... Paper, C ... Entrance space

Claims (2)

A transport unit for transporting paper;
A printing section for printing on the conveyed paper;
A pair of paper front and back guides for guiding the front and back sides of the paper;
A pair of paper width guides, at least one of which is movable in the width direction of the paper and guides both sides of the paper in the paper conveyance direction;
Comprising
One of the paper front and back guides is held in a cantilever structure at one side in the width direction of the paper, and is movable so as to approach and separate from the other paper front and back guides with the cantilever structure side as a fulcrum. And
The one sheet front and back guide that moves is disposed opposite to the sheet width guide, and is positioned on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction that forms an entry space that allows the sheet width guide to enter. A surface guide and a second paper surface guide ;
The paper width guide is provided independently from one of the paper front and back guides that moves,
A printer characterized by that . The transport unit includes a driving roller and a pinch roller that faces the driving roller and sandwiches the paper.
The printing unit includes a platen and a print head,
Wherein the pinch roller and the print head, moving one of the paper front and rear surfaces guide and printer according to claim 1, wherein are held together.

Images