JP3855591B2 - Roll paper loading mechanism and roll paper printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a roll paper printer that performs printing on a roll paper fed from a recording paper roll body loaded in a roll paper loading section by an ink jet printer or the like, and more particularly, loading of the recording paper roll body into the roll paper loading section. Alternatively, the present invention relates to a roll paper loading mechanism that can be easily replaced.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As the roll paper loading mechanism of the roll paper printer, a front opening of the roll paper loading unit is formed on the front surface (front surface) of the roll paper printer, and the roll paper cover that seals it is forward (front side). From this, there is known a type in which the recording paper roll body is replenished or replaced.
[0003]
The roll paper loading section is generally shaped so that a recording paper roll body can be dropped from the upper side, and is composed of a front and rear wall portion and a bottom wall portion spanned between left and right side walls in the printer main body case. . Therefore, when loading the recording paper roll body into the roll paper loading section, the recording paper roll body is loaded into the roll paper by moving over the front wall of the roll paper loading section from the front opening exposed by opening the roll paper cover. It is necessary to drop it into the department.
[0004]
In general, the interval between the left and right side walls of the roll paper loading unit is configured to be constant. Therefore, the width of the roll paper that can be used is one kind.
[0005]
In general, a roll paper printer equipped with this type of roll paper loading mechanism is also provided with an operation unit, a display unit, and a roll paper discharge unit after printing on the front side thereof, so that an operator can perform various operations on the front side of the printer. It is configured to do so.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a front operation type roll paper printer, since the operation unit, the display unit, and the like are arranged on the front surface thereof as described above, there are cases where the front opening of the roll paper loading unit cannot be widened. In particular, in roll paper printers that require a reduction in size, the front opening of the roll paper loading section tends to be narrow.
[0007]
If the front opening of the roll paper loading unit is narrow, there is a problem in that the operability is extremely poor because the work must be performed through the narrow front opening in the loading operation and replacement operation of the recording paper roll body.
[0008]
In addition, if the distance between the left and right side walls of the roll paper loading unit is constant, there is a problem that the roll paper that can be used is limited to one type.
[0009]
In view of this point, an object of the present invention is to propose a roll paper loading mechanism capable of loading a recording paper roll body into a roll paper loading unit with good operability without widening the front opening of the roll paper loading unit. is there.
[0010]
Another object of the present invention is to propose a roll paper loading mechanism capable of loading recording paper roll bodies of several types of paper widths in a roll paper loading unit with a simple structure without increasing the number of parts.
[0011]
Another object of the present invention is to propose a roll paper printer having such a newly-configured roll paper loading unit.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a roll paper loading mechanism of the present invention includes a roll paper loading unit, a front opening of the roll paper loading unit, and a roll paper cover that is sealed in a state where the front opening can be opened and closed. And the roll paper cover is supported in a rotatable state from a closed position that stands up around its lower end to an open position that falls forward, and the roll paper loading unit rotates the roll paper cover. The front wall portion includes a left and right side wall portion, a front wall portion, a rear wall portion, and a bottom wall portion. A part of the bottom wall part and one of the left and right side wall parts are supported so as to be able to rotate forward about the support shaft, and the other side wall part of the left and right side wall parts is supported by the support shaft. Can be moved in the width direction of the roll paper along It is characterized in that it is.
[0013]
In the roll paper loading mechanism of the present invention, when the roll paper cover is tilted forward to open the front opening of the roll paper loading unit, a part of the front wall portion and the bottom wall portion of the roll paper loading unit is interlocked with this. And one side wall part falls forward. Therefore, the substantial front opening area of the roll paper loading section blocked by the front wall portion can be widened, and the roll paper mounting position can also be moved forward. It can be easily attached to or detached from the loading section with good operability. Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which the support shaft that supports one side wall portion in a rotatable state supports the other side wall portion so as to be movable in the paper width direction of the roll paper, the number of parts can be simplified without increasing. A roll paper loading mechanism can be realized by the structure.
[0017]
On the other hand, the present invention relates to a roll paper printer in which the roll paper loading mechanism configured as described above is mounted. In the roll paper printer of the present invention, the recording paper roll body can be loaded easily without widening the front opening of the roll paper loading section. Therefore, a small roll paper printer can be realized. In addition, recording paper rolls having several types of paper widths can be used by changing the interval between the left and right side walls of the roll paper loading unit.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an example of an ink jet roll paper printer to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the roll paper printer of this example. 2, 4, and 6 are side configuration diagrams showing a main part of a roll paper loading mechanism in the roll paper printer, and FIGS. 3 and 5 are perspective views showing the main part. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a roll paper loading unit in the roll printer. The roll paper printer 1 of this example is of the front operation type, and has an operation unit, a roll paper discharge port cut after printing, and a front opening for loading or replacing roll paper arranged on the front surface.
[0020]
(overall structure)
First, referring to FIG. 1, the front operation type roll paper printer 1 is incorporated in a main body case 2 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and an operation unit 4 is provided on the right side of the front surface 3. Is arranged. The lower half portion of the left side portion of the front surface 3 is a roll paper cover 6 that covers the roll paper loading front opening 5 in an openable and closable state, and immediately above it is a paper discharge for discharging the roll paper after printing. A portion 5A is formed, from which the paper discharge table 7 protrudes substantially horizontally toward the front.
[0021]
2 and 3, the roll paper cover 6 can be rotated forward of the printer around its lower end 6a, and the position shown in the figure shows the front opening 5 for loading the recording paper roll body. The closed position is closed, and the position that is tilted forward as described later is the open position (see FIG. 5). A roll paper loading section 8 is defined in the back of the roll paper cover 6, and the roll paper 10 fed out from the recording paper roll body 9 attached thereto is passed through the roll paper guide 11 to roll paper. After passing through the printing position 12 formed at the position directly above the loading unit 8, it passes through the arrangement position of the roll paper cutter 13, and then is discharged onto the paper discharge table 7.
[0022]
The print position 12 is defined by holding the recording paper flat by the conveying roller pair 14a, 14b and the tension roller pair 15a, 15b. The conveying roller 14b and the tension roller 15b are held by a roller holder member 16. Further, the nozzle surface 17a of the inkjet head 17 is arranged in a downward state with a certain gap facing the recording paper held flat.
[0023]
Next, a roll paper loading mechanism installed in the roll paper printer 1 of this example will be described. First, a pair of parallel link support shafts 21 and 22 extending horizontally in the width direction of the printer are bridged over the roller holder member 16 at the same height position. The upper ends of a pair of links 23 and 24 extending in the vertical direction are connected to both ends of the link support shafts 21 and 22 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction.
[0024]
The lower ends of the pair of links 23 and 24 rotate in the front-rear direction with respect to a pair of front and rear parallel link support shafts 25 and 26 mounted horizontally in the printer width direction at the same height position in the bottom frame 2a. It is connected freely.
[0025]
Therefore, the roller holder member 16, the link support shafts 21, 22, 25, 26 and the pair of links 23, 24 constitute a four-joint parallel link mechanism, and when the roller holder member 16 is pulled forward, The roller holder member 16 can move forward and downward while maintaining a horizontal state. The roller holder member 16 has a fixed blade 13b of a cutter 13 attached to a portion on the front end side of the printer.
[0026]
Here, as shown in FIG. 2B, the paper discharge table 7 includes a table main body 71 and a table support member 72 to which the table main body 71 is attached. The table support member 72 includes a horizontally extending table body support portion 72a, a fixed blade cover plate portion 72b that is bent downwardly from the front to the rear side of the printer and extends from the front to the bottom of the cutter fixed blade 13b. The connecting plate portion 72c continuously extending toward the rear of the printer and inclined slightly upward, and at a position from the middle to the rear end portion of the connecting plate portion 72c, is upward from both ends in the printer width direction. Side plate portion 72d extends. The side surface portion 72d is supported in a rotatable state with respect to both end portions of the link support shaft 21 supported by the roller holder member 16. Further, a hook portion 72e for locking the roll paper cover is provided at the rear end of the side surface portion 72d.
[0027]
The paper discharge table 7 having this configuration is always pulled downward by a coil spring 74 having one end attached to the roll paper cover 6 at a position on the front side of the printer with respect to the link support shaft 21 that is the rotation center. The hook portion 72e formed at the rear end of the paper discharge table 7 is hooked from below on the hook engaging plate 2b formed on the main body case 2 by the spring force of the coil spring 74. When the table main body 71 of the paper discharge table 7 is pushed up in the direction indicated by the arrow a in the figure against the spring force, the hook portion 72e moves in the arrow b direction, and the hook portion 72e can be detached from the hook engaging plate 2b.
[0028]
Next, although not shown, the roll paper cover 6 is pressed against the link 24 at its upper end by a tension coil spring.
[0029]
Thus, in this example, the discharge table 7 is connected to the roller holder member 16 so as to be rotatable about the link support shaft 21. The roll paper cover 6 is also urged by a link 24 that rotates back and forth together with the roller holder member 16.
[0030]
Next, the structure of the roll paper loading unit 8 of this example will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the roll paper loading unit 8 has a shape that allows the recording paper roll body 9 to be dropped from above, and includes a front wall portion 81a, a right wall portion 81b, a rear wall portion 81c, and a bottom wall. A roll paper holder 81 formed by a portion 81d, and a roll paper guide 82 formed by a left wall portion 82a, a rear wall portion 82b, and a bottom wall portion 82c are divided into two. The roll paper holder 81 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 83 that is fixed to the bottom frame 2a and extends horizontally in the printer width direction. The roll paper holder 81 is formed with an engaging projection 81e that engages with the link 23 when the link 23 on the rear side of the four-link parallel link mechanism falls.
[0031]
On the other hand, the roll paper guide 82 changes the distance between the left wall portion 82a of the roll paper guide 82 and the right wall portion 81b of the roll paper holder 81 along the support shaft 83 (direction C in FIG. 7). It can be installed on the frame 2a.
[0032]
The roll paper guide 82 is provided with a detection lever 84 for detecting the recording paper near end of the recording paper roll body 9.
[0033]
(Roll paper cover open / close operation)
First, when the roll paper cover 6 is in its closed position, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a hook formed at the rear end of the paper discharge table 7 by the spring force of the coil spring 74. The portion 72e is hooked to the hook engaging plate 2b formed on the main body case 2. In other words, the roll paper cover 6 is in a locked state, and in this example, the coil spring 74, the hook portion 72e, and the hook engaging plate 2b constitute a lock mechanism for the roll paper cover 6.
[0034]
In order to release the locked state and open the roll paper cover 6, as shown in FIG. 2B, the table body 71 of the paper discharge table 7 is pushed upward (in the direction of arrow a in the figure) with a finger or the like. Just do it. When the front end portion of the paper discharge table 7 is pushed up against the spring force of the coil spring 74, the paper discharge table 7 rotates about the link support shaft 21, and the hook portion 72e is lowered downward from the engagement plate 2b. The lock is released. In this way, in this example, the mechanism for unlocking is simplified, which is advantageous for reducing the size and size of the roll paper replacement mechanism and hence the roll paper printer.
[0035]
After releasing the lock, if the front end portion of the paper discharge table 7 is held and pulled forward, the roller holder member 16 protrudes forward in the horizontal posture by the action of the four-link parallel link mechanism. Since the roll paper cover 6 is urged by the link 24 on the front side that falls forward of the printer by this operation, the roll paper cover 6 is tilted forward around the lower end 6 a in conjunction with the link 24. Thus, the roll paper cover 6 can be opened by pulling the paper discharge table 7 forward of the printer.
[0036]
At the same time, when the rear link 23 is tilted, the link 23 and the engagement protrusion 81e formed on the roll paper holder 81 are engaged, and the roll paper holder 81 rotates forward about the support shaft 83. . FIG. 4 shows a state where the roll paper cover 6 is being opened and the link 23 and the engagement protrusion 81 e formed on the roll paper holder 81 are engaged.
[0037]
5 and 6 show a state in which the roll paper cover 6 is completely opened. In this state, the front opening 5 is fully opened. In addition, the roll paper holder 81 including the front wall portion 81a of the roll paper loading unit 8 is tilted forward. In this state, the recording paper roll body 9 is loaded or replaced.
[0038]
In this example, the conveyance roller 14b, the tension roller 15b, and the cutter fixed blade 13b are attached to the roller holder member 16, and these members are separated from the corresponding members attached to the main body case 2 side. In the meantime, the work of drawing the roll paper can be performed very easily.
[0039]
In addition, since the front wall portion 81a of the roll paper loading unit 8 is also opened, when the recording paper roll body 9 is loaded into the roll paper loading unit 8, the front wall portion 81a of the roll paper loading unit 8 is overcome as in the conventional case. Thus, it is not necessary to drop the recording paper roll body 9 into the roll paper loading section 8 from above, and the recording paper roll body 9 can be loaded almost horizontally from the front of the printer. Further, since a part 81d of the bottom wall portion of the roll paper loading unit 8 also rotates forward, the loading position of the recording paper roll body 9 protrudes to the front side of the printer.
[0040]
As described above, in this example, when the recording paper roll body is loaded, the substantial opening of the roll paper loading unit 8 can be widened, so that the loading operation can be easily performed with good operability. In other words, even if the front opening 5 is not widened, the substantial opening of the roll paper loading unit 8 with the roll paper cover 6 opened can be widened, thereby impairing the operability of the recording paper roll loading operation. Therefore, the front opening 5 can be made small, which is extremely advantageous for making the printer small and compact.
[0041]
Furthermore, in this example, since the roll paper guide 82 can be moved along the support shaft 83, the recording paper roll body 9 having various widths can be loaded.
[0042]
In addition, since the roll paper guide 82 in the roll paper loading unit 8 is not linked to the opening / closing operation of the roll paper cover 6, the left wall 82 a of the roll paper loading unit 8 extends along the support shaft 83. The detection lever 84 that detects the near end of the recording paper roll body 9 can be easily installed.
[0043]
Further, by supporting the roll paper holder 82 rotatably on the support shaft 83 and supporting the roll paper guide 82 so as to be movable along the support shaft 83, the roll paper loading device described above can be achieved with a small number of parts. Can be realized.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the roll paper printer of the present invention and the roll paper loading mechanism mounted thereon, a part of the front wall portion and the bottom wall portion of the roll paper loading portion is also opened in conjunction with the roll paper cover. I am doing so. Therefore, the substantial opening of the roll paper loading section when loading the recording paper roll body can be widened. Further, it is not necessary to load the recording paper roll body from the upper side over the front wall portion of the roll paper loading section.
[0045]
Therefore, according to the present invention, the recording paper roll body can be easily loaded with good operability. Further, since the front opening can be made small without impairing the operability of the recording paper roll loading operation, it is extremely advantageous for downsizing and compacting the printer.
[0046]
In the present invention, since either one of the left and right side wall portions of the roll paper loading unit can be moved in the width direction of the printer, recording paper rolls having various widths can be used.
[0047]
Furthermore, in the present invention, since either one of the left and right side wall portions of the roll paper loading unit is not interlocked with the rotation operation of the roll paper cover, it is possible to easily install the near end detector of the recording paper roll body. it can.
[0048]
Further, in the present invention, one of the left and right side wall portions of the roll paper loading unit is supported by one spindle so as to be rotatable, and the other left and right side wall portions are supported so as to be movable in the paper width direction of the recording paper roll body. Therefore, the roll paper loading device described above can be realized with a minimum number of parts.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a roll paper printer to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the main part of the internal structure of the roll paper printer of FIG. 1;
3 is a perspective view showing the main part of the internal structure of the roll paper printer of FIG. 1. FIG.
4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in the middle of opening a roll paper cover in the roll paper printer of FIG. 1. FIG.
5 is a perspective view showing the main part of the internal structure of the roll paper printer of FIG. 1 with the roll paper cover opened.
6 is a side view showing the main part of the internal structure of the roll paper printer of FIG. 1 with the roll paper cover opened.
7 is a perspective view of a roll paper loading unit structure in the roll paper printer of FIG. 1. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Roll paper printer 2 Main body case 3 Printer front surface 4 Operation part 5 Front opening of roll paper loading part 6 Roll paper cover 7 Paper discharge table 8 Roll paper loading part 9 Recording paper roll body

Claims (2)

A roll paper loading unit, a front opening of the roll paper loading unit, and a roll paper cover that is sealed in a state where the front opening can be opened and closed,
The roll paper cover is supported in a rotatable state from a closed position that stands up around its lower end to an open position that falls forward,
The roll paper loading unit is supported in a state of being able to rotate forward about a support shaft in conjunction with rotation of the roll paper cover, and includes left and right side wall portions, a front wall portion, and a rear wall portion. A bottom wall portion, wherein the front wall portion, a part of the bottom wall portion, and one of the left and right side wall portions are supported so as to be rotatable forward about the support shaft, The roll paper loading mechanism, wherein the other side wall part of the side wall parts is supported so as to be movable in the paper width direction of the roll paper along the support shaft.   A roll paper printer, wherein the roll paper loading mechanism according to claim 1 is mounted.

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