JP3903795B2 - Printer device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer apparatus including a paper discharge tray and a cover that opens a printing unit of a main body of the paper discharge tray .
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a printer apparatus that prints characters and images on paper as an image forming apparatus. In this printer apparatus, a method of printing on paper by ejecting ink from a large number of fine nozzles is widely used.
[0003]
The above-described printer device feeds paper from the paper feed unit, and the paper is fed into the main body of the device by the feed mechanism, so that characters and images to be printed on the print head unit to which ink is supplied from the ink cartridge. A corresponding electrical signal is input, and characters or images are printed on a sheet by pressurizing ink by heating or mechanical pressure by a piezo element or the like and ejecting the ink from a nozzle. Further, the paper printed by the print head unit is discharged from the discharge unit to a paper tray provided outside the apparatus main body by the feeding mechanism.
[0004]
In many cases, the paper tray provided in the printer device can be opened and closed between the position where the discharge unit is closed and the position where it is opened with respect to the main body of the device. The discharge portion is held in a closed position by a very simple position regulating mechanism having a function. There is also a mechanism for mounting the paper tray as a single component on the apparatus body. The paper tray is opened to receive printed paper when printing, and space is saved by making the paper tray close to the discharge portion when printing is not performed.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described printer device, when the paper tray is opened to perform printing and the discharge unit is opened, a predetermined force is applied in the opening direction from the position where the paper tray closes the discharge unit for fixing. The engaging portion where the paper tray and the apparatus main body are engaged is released, the paper tray is opened, and the paper tray falls to the open position by its own weight. For this reason, an impact may occur when the device is opened, which may cause a failure of the apparatus main body. Specifically, when the position restricting mechanism is unlocked, the printer device rotates the paper tray around its rotation fulcrum with its own weight. At this time, the hinge portion connecting the apparatus main body and the paper tray may be subjected to a large impact due to the force when the paper tray rotates under its own weight, and the hinge portion may be broken.
[0006]
In particular, in the print head portion, since the ink is held by the internal negative pressure, there is a problem that the meniscus at the tip portion of the nozzle is deteriorated due to an impact.
[0007]
In addition, when the above-described printer device continuously prints on paper, the printed paper is stacked on the paper tray. However, when the number of printed sheets is large, the remaining amount of ink is reduced during printing. It is necessary to replace the ink cartridge. In this case, when the ink cartridge is replaced, there is a problem that the remaining ink leaks from the ink cartridge and stains the printed paper.
[0008]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a printer apparatus that suppresses an impact applied to an apparatus main body when a paper tray is opened.
[0009]
It is another object of the present invention to provide a printer device that does not stain printed paper when an ink cartridge is replaced.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-described object, the printer device according to the present invention sends the paper inserted from the insertion portion to the discharge portion, and causes ink to be ejected from a large number of minute nozzles during the conveyance of the paper. a device body having a printing unit for forming an image is provided, so as to open and close the discharge portion, this discharge the vicinity are rotatably supported relative to the apparatus main body, upon opening the emissions unit and a sheet discharge tray for receiving the sheet from the emissions part, made of a coil spring, one end and the other end locked to the apparatus main body is locked to the sheet discharge tray is inserted into the rotation shaft of the paper discharge tray The coil unit is housed in a coil housing part formed on the paper discharge tray, biasing means for biasing the paper discharge tray in a direction to open the discharge unit, and the paper discharge tray Close the discharge part Orifice is rotated and the locking means for locking the state, and unlocking means for releasing the locking by the locking means, the rotary shaft which is rotated with the opening of the sheet discharge tray in the housing of the apparatus main body side The lock release means unlocks the paper discharge tray by the lock means, and the paper discharge tray is released from the closed state of the discharge portion. When rotating by the urging force of the urging means, the rotation oil damper near the rotation axis of the paper discharge tray for reducing the rotation speed and the inside of the apparatus main body provided with the printing unit are opened. Cover.
[0011]
In the printer apparatus having such a configuration, when the paper discharge tray locked by the lock unit is released when the paper discharge tray is opened, the printer discharge device is rotated by the biasing unit in the opening direction. The rotational speed is reduced by the damping force resisting the opening direction by the rotating oil damper portion which is the speed reducing means, and the paper discharge tray is gently opened.
The cover is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body on the upper side of the paper discharge tray, and covers the upper side of the paper discharge tray in a state where the discharge unit is opened by being rotated to the discharge unit side. In this state, the printing unit inside the apparatus main body is opened so that the ink does not drip on the paper discharge tray even if the ink cartridge is replaced on the upper side of the paper discharge tray.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a printer apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. This printer apparatus is of a type that prints by ejecting ink from many fine nozzles.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the printer apparatus 1 prints characters and images on the paper 100 by a print head unit that ejects ink from a large number of fine nozzles mounted in the apparatus body 10. It has become.
[0014]
The apparatus main body 10 includes an insertion unit 10 a into which the paper 100 is inserted, a printing unit 10 c that prints characters and images on the paper 100, and a discharge unit 10 b through which the printed paper 100 is discharged.
[0015]
The printer apparatus 1 includes a paper insertion tray 11 for supplying paper 100 to the insertion portion 10a of the apparatus main body 10, a paper discharge tray 12 for opening and closing a discharge portion 10b from which the printed paper 100 is discharged, and the apparatus main body 10. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 5. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a cover 13 that opens the interior of the printer, a lock mechanism 14 that locks the paper discharge tray 12 in a closed position, an operation unit 15 that performs various inputs to the printer 1, A rotating oil damper portion 16 is provided as a speed reduction mechanism for reducing the opening / closing speed of the paper discharge tray 12.
[0016]
When the printer 1 does not print on the paper 100, the paper discharge tray 12 and the cover 13 are closed as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the paper discharge tray 12 is opened, and when the ink cartridge is replaced, the paper tray 12 and the cover 13 are opened as shown in FIG.
[0017]
A plurality of sheets 100 can be placed on the sheet insertion tray 11, and the sheet 100 is guided to the insertion portion 10 a of the apparatus main body 10.
[0018]
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the paper discharge tray 12 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 10d protruding from the apparatus main body 10, and when opened, as shown in FIG. In the closed state, as shown in FIG. 7, the printer apparatus 1 is supported along the wall surface of the apparatus main body 10 so as not to take up space. ing.
[0019]
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the paper discharge tray 12 is pulled out from the paper discharge tray 12, and receives the paper 100 discharged from the discharge portion 10b. An engagement portion 21 that engages with the lock portion 26 and a gear 22 that is provided along the rotation direction of the paper discharge tray 12 and engages with a pinion 16a (described later) of the rotary oil damper portion 16 are provided. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the paper discharge tray 12 is biased in a direction to open the discharge portion 10 b by a coil spring 23 serving as a biasing member.
[0020]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the coil spring 23 is provided inside the paper discharge tray 12 so as to extend inside the paper discharge tray 12 from one end of the coil portion 23 a and the coil portion 23 a. An arm portion 23 b that is locked by the recess portion 17, and an arm portion 23 c that extends from the other end of the coil portion 23 a to the outside of the sheet discharge tray 12 and is locked by a recess portion 18 provided inside the apparatus main body 10. have.
[0021]
The coil spring 23 prevents the coil portion 23a from being seen from the outside when the coil portion 23a is housed in the coil housing portion 24 in the paper discharge tray 12 and the paper discharge tray 12 opens the discharge portion 10b.
[0022]
Specifically, as is apparent from FIGS. 2, 6, and 7, the paper discharge tray 12 is supported at one end by a support shaft 10d provided in the apparatus main body 10 on the side of the discharge portion 10b. Yes. The support shaft 10 d serves as a rotation shaft of the paper discharge tray 12.
[0023]
The coil portion 23a of the coil spring 23 is inserted through the support shaft 10d. The arm portion 23 b of the coil spring 23 extends into the paper discharge tray 12 and is locked to the recess 17, and the arm portion 23 c extends so as to protrude inward of the apparatus main body 10 and engages with the recess 18. It has been stopped. The other end portion of the paper discharge tray 12 is also supported by the apparatus main body 10 by a support shaft provided in the apparatus main body 10 in the same manner (not shown).
[0024]
When the paper discharge tray 12 rotates from the state in which the discharge portion 10b is opened to the direction in which the discharge portion 10b is closed, that is, in the direction of the arrow R2 shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. Although a resistance force is generated, the biasing force of the coil spring 23 is set to a biasing force that can easily rotate the paper discharge tray 12 even if the user does not need a force.
[0025]
The paper discharge tray 12 is fixed with the engagement portion 21 engaged with the lock portion 26 of the lock mechanism 14 in a state of closing the discharge portion 10b.
[0026]
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lock mechanism 14 includes a lock release button 25 that is unlocked when pressed, a lock portion 26 that engages with the engagement portion 21 of the paper discharge tray 12, and a lock portion. A coil spring 27 that urges 26 in the direction of engaging with the engaging portion 21, that is, in the direction of arrow R 3 shown in FIG. 8, and a locking portion 28 that locks one end of the coil spring 27.
[0027]
The lock release button 25 has an inclined surface portion 25a for pressing a pin 26a provided on the lock portion 26. As shown in FIG. 9, when the lock release button 25 is pressed, the inclined surface portion 25a is shown in FIG. The pin 26a is pressed in the direction of arrow R4.
[0028]
One end of the lock portion 26 is engaged with the engagement portion 21, and is in contact with the inclined surface portion 25 a of the lock release button 25 via the pin 26 a. The lock part 26 is a fulcrum 26b whose other end part rotatably supports the lock part 26, and is supported by the apparatus main body 10.
[0029]
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, one end of the coil spring 27 is engaged with an engaging portion 28 provided in the apparatus main body 10, the coil portion 27 a is disposed at the fulcrum 26 b, and the other end is engaged with the lock portion 26. It has been stopped. When the lock release button 25 is pressed, the lock portion 26 rotates in the direction of the arrow R4 about the fulcrum 26b, but the coil spring 27 generates a biasing force in the direction of the arrow R3.
[0030]
When the paper discharge tray 12 is in the closed state, the lock unit 26 engages with the engagement unit 21 and locks the paper discharge tray 12. As shown in FIG. 8, when the paper discharge tray 12 is in the closed state, for example, when the lock release button 25 is pressed by the user, the inclined surface portion 25 a of the lock release button 25 becomes the pin 26 a of the lock portion 26. And the lock portion 26 is slightly moved in the arrow R4 direction against the urging force of the coil spring 27 in the arrow R3 direction.
[0031]
As a result, the lock mechanism 14 releases the lock of the paper discharge tray 12 and opens the paper discharge tray 12 as shown in FIG.
[0032]
As shown in FIG. 10, the rotating oil damper portion 16 includes a rotating shaft 41, a partition plate, that is, an orifice 42, and an oil 43 that fills the inside of the housing 40. Oil 43 can flow through a small hole 42 a provided in 42.
[0033]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the rotating oil damper portion 16 includes a pinion 16 a that has a rotating shaft 41 that extends to the outside of the housing 40 and that engages with the gear 22 on the rotating shaft.
[0034]
When the paper discharge tray 12 is unlocked and the paper discharge tray 12 is rotated by the urging force of the coil spring 23 when the paper discharge tray 12 is unlocked, the rotary oil damper 16 is engaged with the pinion 16a engaged with the gear 22 of the paper discharge tray 12. Thus, the rotation shaft 41 is rotated. Here, as the rotation shaft 41 rotates, the orifice 42 in the housing 40 fixed to the rotation shaft 41 is rotated. At this time, when the oil 43 passes through the small hole 42 a of the orifice 42, a resistance force is generated due to the viscosity of the oil 43, and the opening speed of the paper discharge tray 12 is reduced. Rotating the oil damper 16, although the emissions portion 10b near the apparatus main body 10, since the oil 43 is filled in the housing 40, it is possible to prevent the sheet 100 that is the paper discharge by the oil 43 from being contaminated.
[0035]
The viscosity of the oil 43 is adjusted according to the weight of the paper tray 12 and the biasing force of the coil spring 23 so that the paper discharge tray 12 is gently opened.
[0036]
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cover 13 is a cover member that opens the inside of the apparatus main body 10 and exposes the inside in order to replace an ink cartridge 30 to be described later, and is a support shaft provided in the apparatus main body 10. Both ends of the support shaft 10e are rotatably supported by the upper support shaft 10e, and are opened when the ink cartridge 30 is replaced.
[0037]
Cover 13, when in an open state, as shown in FIG. 6, is open to the discharge portion 10b side so as to cover the upper side of the sheet discharge tray 12 which is in an opened state emissions portion 10b, when the closed state, FIG. 7, the engagement recess 10 g of the elastic piece 10 f of the main body 10 and the engagement portion 13 a of the cover 13 are engaged to be supported.
[0038]
The elastic piece 10f has an engaging recess 10g at one end and is fixedly supported by the apparatus main body 10 at the other end, and generates an urging force in a direction in which the engaging recess 10g pushes up the cover 13. . As a result, when the engaging portion 13a of the cover 13 is engaged with the engaging recess 10g, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cover 13 is closed with a predetermined force, that is, rotated in the R2 direction. Therefore, when the cover 13 is opened, the cover 13 is rotated in the R1 direction by a force that resists the urging force of the elastic piece 10f.
[0039]
Here, as shown in FIG. 3, in the printer device 1, when the paper discharge tray 12 and the cover 13 are opened, the printing unit 10c is exposed.
[0040]
The printing unit 10 c includes a print head unit 29 that ejects ink from a large number of fine nozzles, an ink cartridge 30 attached to the print head unit 29, a guide shaft 31 that guides the print head unit 29, and the print head unit 29. Is driven in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction by a motor (not shown). Here, as an example, the print head unit 29 grows bubbles in the nozzles by heating and ejects ink. Note that the print head unit 29 may mechanically eject ink using a piezo element.
[0041]
In the printing unit 10c, the print head unit 29 prints characters and images on the paper 100 inserted from the insertion unit 10a in accordance with an electric signal input from an external device (not shown).
The operation unit 15 has a plurality of push buttons provided so that the user can perform various operations such as turning on / off the power of the apparatus main body, paper discharge / paper feeding, and a print test. Yes. In the printer device 1, for example, when the user performs printing, the state of the device is set so that a current can be supplied to each part of the printer device 1 by pressing a power ON / OFF button so that printing can be performed. Adjust.
[0043]
The operation of the printer apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.
[0044]
When the paper discharge tray 12 is closed, the printer apparatus 1 is configured such that the lock portion 26 of the lock mechanism 14 engages with the engagement portion 21 of the paper discharge tray 12 as shown in FIG. 10 is supported.
[0045]
First, when the user places the paper 100 on the paper insertion tray 11 and operates the operation unit 15, the power of the printer apparatus 1 is turned on. Next, when the lock release button 25 is pressed, as shown in FIG. 9, the pin 26a is pressed in the R4 direction by the inclined surface portion 25a, and the lock portion 26 is released from the engagement state with the engagement portion 21. The Then, the unlocked sheet discharge tray 12 is rotated in the R1 direction by the urging force of the coil spring 23 as shown in FIG. Here, as the paper discharge tray 12 is opened, the gear 22 rotates and the pinion 16a with which the gear 22 engages is rotated to rotate the rotating shaft 41 of the rotating oil damper portion 16. As a result, a resistance force is generated by the rotating oil damper portion 16, and the sheet discharge tray 12 is released by rotating slowly with a reduced rotational speed.
[0046]
Here, when the size of the paper 100 to be printed is larger than the paper discharge tray 12, the printer device 1 allows the paper support unit 20 to be pulled out by the user to support the paper 100.
[0047]
Next, when an electrical signal corresponding to a character or an image is input from an external device (not shown) such as a computer device to the printer device 1, the paper 100 is sent to the position of the print head unit 29 by a feed mechanism (not shown) and printing is performed. The head unit 29 is driven to print characters and images on the paper 100. Then, the printed paper 100 is sent by the feeding mechanism and discharged from the discharge unit 10b, and is sequentially output on the paper discharge tray 12.
[0048]
For example, when the printer device 1 continuously prints a plurality of sheets 100, the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 30 may decrease during printing. In this case, the printer apparatus 1 displays a warning signal by an indicator (not shown), and determines that the user needs to replace the ink cartridge 30.
[0049]
In this case, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the cover 13 is rotated by the user in the direction of the arrow R1, and the engagement state between the engagement portion 13a and the engagement recess 10g of the elastic piece 10f is released. Opened. At this time, the printed paper 100 has already been output on the paper discharge tray 12, but the cover 13 is opened so as to cover the printed paper 100, and the paper 100 is not soiled by the dripping of ink. It is like that.
[0050]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the printer apparatus 1 has the ink cartridge 30 removed by the user, a new ink cartridge 30 is inserted, and the cover 13 is rotated and closed in the direction of the arrow R <b> 2. The cover 13 is supported by engaging the engaging portion 13a with the engaging recess 10g of the elastic piece 10f.
[0051]
Next, the printer apparatus 1 performs various adjustments so that a new ink cartridge 30 is mounted and printable, and the interrupted printing is continued.
[0052]
When printing is completed, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the paper discharge tray 12 receives the paper support portion 20 and is rotated and closed in the direction of the arrow R <b> 2, and the engagement portion 21 is locked. It is fixed by engaging with the lock part 26.
[0053]
As described above, the printer device 1 according to the present invention can automatically and gently open the discharge unit 10b by using the coil spring 23 and the rotating oil damper unit 16 when the paper discharge tray 12 is opened. it can. Thereby, the impact given to the apparatus main body 10 can be reduced, and generation | occurrence | production of a failure can be reduced.
[0054]
Further, since the printer device 1 has the coil spring 23 inside the paper discharge tray 12, the above-described printer discharge device 12 and the rotating oil damper portion 16 are also used for the conventional printer device. The same effect can be expected.
[0055]
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the printer device 1 may be provided with a paper detection sensor 50 in a part of the insertion unit 10 a or the discharge unit 10 b.
[0056]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the printer device of the present invention, the paper discharge tray that opens and closes the discharge portion is urged in the opening direction by the urging means, and the rotational oil damper that serves as the speed reduction means reduces the rotational speed of the paper discharge tray. By decelerating by the unit, the paper discharge tray is gently opened to reduce the impact on the apparatus main body. Thereby, the failure of the apparatus main body can be suppressed and the product life can be extended. The rotational oil damper unit is located in the emissions in the vicinity, oil because it is filled in the housing, it is possible to prevent the sheet to be discharged paper by the oil being contaminated.
[0057]
Since the biasing member is stored in the storage portion on the paper discharge tray side, the biasing member is not visible even when the paper discharge tray is opened, and the appearance is improved.
[0058]
Further, according to the present invention, the cover that opens the printing unit inside the apparatus main body is opened so as to cover the upper side of the paper discharge tray with the discharge part opened, so that the inside of the apparatus main body is not contaminated. The parts can be replaced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a sheet discharge tray and a cover of a printer apparatus to which the present invention is applied are closed.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a sheet discharge tray of the printer apparatus is opened and a cover is closed.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state where a sheet discharge tray and a cover of the printer apparatus are opened.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing main parts of a paper discharge tray and a rotating oil damper portion.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing main parts of a paper discharge tray and a rotating oil damper portion.
FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which a paper discharge tray and a cover of the printer apparatus to which the present invention is applied are opened.
FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating a state in which a sheet discharge tray and a cover of the printer apparatus are closed.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state where the engagement portion of the lock mechanism and the engagement portion of the main body are engaged and the paper discharge tray is closed and fixed.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the lock release button is pressed, the engagement portion of the lock mechanism is released from the engagement portion of the main body, and the lock of the paper discharge tray 12 is released.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a rotating oil damper portion.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer apparatus, 10 apparatus main body, 10a insertion part, 10b discharge part, 10c printing part, 11 paper insertion tray, 12 paper discharge tray, 13 cover, 14 lock mechanism, 15 operation part, 16 rotation oil damper part

Claims (1)

An apparatus main body provided with a printing unit that sends the paper inserted from the insertion unit to the discharge unit and ejects ink from a number of minute nozzles on the paper during the conveyance of the paper,
To open and close the discharge portion, this is rotatably supported with respect to the discharge unit the apparatus main body in the vicinity, and a paper discharge tray for receiving the sheet from the emissions part when opening the emissions unit,
A coil housing comprising a coil spring, one end locked to the apparatus main body, the other end locked to the paper discharge tray, and a coil portion inserted into the rotating shaft of the paper discharge tray formed on the paper discharge tray Energizing means for energizing the paper discharge tray in a direction to be stored in the unit and to open the discharge unit;
Lock means for locking the paper discharge tray in a state where the discharge portion of the apparatus main body is closed;
Unlocking means for releasing the lock by the locking means;
The casing on the apparatus main body side is filled with oil that serves as a resistance of an orifice rotated by a rotating shaft that is rotated when the sheet discharge tray is opened, and the sheet by the lock means is formed by the lock release means. When the discharge tray is unlocked and the paper discharge tray is rotated by the urging force of the urging means in the direction to be released from the state where the discharge portion is closed, the paper discharge is performed to reduce the rotation speed. A rotating oil damper near the rotation axis of the tray;
A cover for opening the inside of the apparatus main body provided with the printing unit,
The cover is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body on the upper side of the paper discharge tray, and covers the upper side of the paper discharge tray in a state where the discharge unit is opened by being rotated to the discharge unit side. A printer device that opens a printing unit inside the device main body in a stable state.

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