JP4044421B2 - Recorder head adjustment mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recorder head adjustment mechanism, and more particularly to a recorder head adjustment mechanism that requires adjustment of a recording phase, such as a recorder used in an electrocardiograph.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, an electrocardiograph is provided with a recorder for printing a measured electrocardiographic waveform on a recording sheet. The recorder normally prints on the recording paper by a recorder head in which a large number of recording elements (for example, heating elements) are arranged over the entire recording width of the recording paper. By using such a recorder head, it is not necessary to move the head, so that the size of the recorder is reduced and real-time printing at the time of measurement is realized. On the other hand, since the width of the head (the width of the portion where the recording element is arranged) is wide, in order to eliminate missing recording and uneven recording density, all the printing elements are all at the correct distance from the recording paper (thermal head). If so, it is necessary to maintain the contact state).
[0003]
Another problem unique to the electrocardiograph recorder is recording phase alignment. That is, the waveform measured using an electrocardiograph is generally a plurality of waveforms derived by several guidance methods, and therefore the recorder also records the plurality of waveforms in parallel. For example, when a plurality of waveforms are recorded side by side in the vertical direction, it is clear that the measured electrocardiogram is not useful for diagnosis of heart disease unless the phases of the plurality of waveforms with respect to the time axis are all aligned.
[0004]
Therefore, in general, an electrocardiograph recorder is provided with an adjusting mechanism for finely adjusting the mounting position in order to mount the recorder head at a position satisfying these requirements. Furthermore, a device for facilitating replacement of the recorder head, which is a consumable item, has also been proposed.
[0005]
For example, in Patent Document 1, a heat-sensitive recorder head and a load plate for applying a load for properly bringing the recorder head into contact with paper are attached to a common adjustment rod and adjusted by screws provided at both ends of the adjustment rod. A recorder head adjustment mechanism assembly that adjusts the recording phase by making the right and left heights of the rod adjustable is disclosed. The recorder head adjusting mechanism assembly of Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the recorder head and the weight plate are integrated with an adjusting rod, thereby facilitating the incorporation (or replacement) of the recorder head.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent No. 3016010
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which both ends of the mounting plate for fixing the recorder head are bent to indicate the adjustment rod, and therefore the movement of the adjustment rod indirectly moves the recorder head. . Therefore, high dimensional accuracy is required for the adjustment rod and the mounting plate in order to increase the adjustment accuracy, which is disadvantageous in terms of manufacturing cost and yield. Furthermore, since it is impossible to eliminate mechanical errors during manufacturing, there is a limit to the dimensional accuracy of parts, and the accuracy of adjustment also depends on this dimensional accuracy.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recorder head adjustment mechanism in which a recorder head can be easily replaced and highly accurate position adjustment is possible. .
[0009]
[Means for solving the problems]
That is, the gist of the present invention is a recorder head adjustment mechanism that adjusts the recording phase of a recorder head in which a plurality of recording elements are arranged, an attachment member to which the recorder head is detachably attached, and a support that supports the attachment member The mounting member is provided with first and second adjusting means whose length with respect to a predetermined portion of the mounting member is variable, and the support member supports the first and second adjusting means. Thus, the recording head adjusting mechanism is characterized in that the mounting member is supported.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on its preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration example of a recorder head adjustment assembly to which a recorder head adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
[0011]
As shown in the figure, the recorder head adjustment assembly 1 includes a recorder head 10, and a mounting plate 11 and a frame 12 that constitute a recorder head adjustment mechanism. A recording element is disposed on the surface of the recorder head 10 that is hidden in FIG. 1 along its length, and a recording signal is supplied by the cable 103. In the present embodiment, the recorder head 10 is a thermal head. Further, the recorder head 10 is provided with screw holes 101A, 101B, 102A, 102B for attaching other members.
[0012]
The mounting plate 11 constituting the recorder head adjusting mechanism has screw holes 113A and 113B provided at positions corresponding to the screw holes 101A and 101B of the recorder head, and is fixed to the recorder head 10 by screws 115A and 115B. Further, screw holes 114A and 114B are provided inside the screw holes 113A and 113B at positions corresponding to the screw holes 102A and 102B of the recorder head 10.
[0013]
At the lower part near both ends of the mounting plate 11, tongue-like portions 111A and 111B extending forward are provided. The tongue portions 111A and 111B are provided with screw holes that match the screws of the adjusting screws 112A and 112B. The adjustment screws 112A and 112B have pedestals 1122A and 1122B that are arranged at a predetermined distance from the screw heads 1121A and 1121B, and the lower end portions are rotatable in the screw holes of the tongue-like portions 111A and 111B of the mounting plate 11. It is attached. As will be described later, the recording phase of the recorder head fixed to the mounting plate 11 can be adjusted by turning the adjusting screws 112A and 112B to the left and right. If necessary, adjust the screw 112 for adjustment to prevent loosening, or adjust the diameter of the screw hole in the prevention tongue 111 slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw 112 for adjustment. Measures for preventing the use screw 112 from rotating may be taken.
[0014]
The frame 12 constituting the recorder head adjusting mechanism holds the recorder head 10 and the mounting plate 11 (hereinafter, this assembly may be referred to as a head unit) in a state of being fixed by screws 115A and 115B. A pressing force for bringing the recording element of the recorder head 10 into proper and uniform contact with the recording paper by a spring described later is transmitted to the recorder head 10.
[0015]
The frame body 12 has tongue-like portions 121A and 121B extending toward the front at upper portions near both ends. The tongues 121A and 121B are provided with notches 122A and 122B, respectively. By inserting the gap between the screw heads 1121A and 1121B of the adjustment screws 112A and 112B attached to the mounting plate 11 and the bases 1122A and 1122B into the notches 122A and 122B of the tongue portions 121A and 121B, the adjustment screws The screw heads 1121A and 1121B of 112A and 112B and the pedestals 1122A and 1122B sandwich the top and bottom of the tongue portions 121A and 121B, and the head unit is supported by the frame body 12.
[0016]
The frame body 12 is provided with holes 123A and 123B into which the tongue portions 111A and 111B of the mounting plate 11 are inserted when the head unit is mounted.
[0017]
Further, the frame body 12 is provided with screw holes 124A and 124B for fixing the head unit to the frame body 12 with screws 127A and 127B. Since the relative position between the frame 12 and the head unit varies due to the recording phase adjustment using the adjusting screws 112A and 112B, the shapes of the screw holes 124A and 124B are not a perfect circle but a vertically long circle. Yes.
[0018]
The attachment part 125, the hole 126 provided in the attachment part, and the stopper 128 are provided in order to attach the frame 12 to the outer frame mentioned later.
[0019]
FIG. 2 shows a state where the recorder head 10 and the mounting plate 11 are fixed with screws 115A and 115B in FIG. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the head unit is attached to the frame body 12 from the state of FIG.
[0020]
In the state of FIG. 3, when the adjustment screws 112A and 112B are turned to the right, the relative position of the head unit with respect to the frame 12 is lowered, and when turned to the left, the position is raised. Of course, the rotational direction and the moving direction of the screw may be reversed. By independently adjusting the left and right adjusting screws 112A and 112B, the recorder head 10 can be tilted to the left and right, thereby adjusting the recording phase.
[0021]
4A is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the configuration of the recorder head adjustment assembly 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 4B is a side corresponding to the recorder head adjustment assembly described in Patent Document 1. It is sectional drawing.
[0022]
The adjustment assembly of the conventional configuration has a structure in which the support portion 111 ′ of the mounting plate 11 ′ is moved relative to the frame body 43 by moving the adjustment rod 44 up and down with the adjustment screw 112 ′. In this structure, since the moving amount of the adjusting rod 44 due to the rotation of the adjusting screw 112 ′ is indirectly transmitted to the recorder head 10, the adjusting rod for transmitting the moving amount of the adjusting screw 112 ′ to the record head 10. 44 and the support 111 ′ are required to have high dimensional accuracy.
[0023]
On the other hand, since the adjustment mechanism according to the present invention has a configuration in which the support portion 111 of the mounting plate 11 is directly moved by the rotation of the adjustment screw 112, it is possible to make an accurate adjustment with a small number of parts. In the configuration according to the present invention, the difference between the distance between the screw head 1121 and the pedestal 1122 of the adjustment screw 112 and the thickness of the tongue 121 of the frame 12 is preferably not so large, but the adjustment screw 112 Due to the structure in which the support portion 111 of the mounting plate 11 is directly moved, this portion is sufficient with an accuracy that there is no large rattling.
[0024]
Further, since the adjustment screw 112 is attached to the mounting plate 11 and the relative positional relationship between the frame body 12 and the mounting plate 11 does not change unless the adjustment screw 112 is turned, when the recorder head 10 is replaced. If the old recorder head is simply removed by removing the screw 115 and the new recorder head is again attached to the mounting plate 11 with the screw 115, the new recorder head 10 can be attached to the position at the time of the previous adjustment without adjustment again. Can do.
[0025]
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an assembly structure of the recorder head adjustment assembly 1 according to the present embodiment and the outer frame 13 for attaching the assembly 1 to the housing of the electrocardiograph. The recorder head adjustment assembly 1 is attached in the outer frame 13 by attaching the frame 12 to the outer frame 13. The frame 12 is inserted into the outer frame 13 by passing assembly-type shafts 131 </ b> A and 131 </ b> B that are supported by the holes 134 of the pair of attachment portions 133 provided in the outer frame 13 through the holes 126 provided in the attachment portion 125. It is attached.
[0026]
At this time, in addition to the attachment portion 125 of the frame body 12, the torsion coil spring 132 is also attached by the shafts 131 </ b> A and 131 </ b> B. The torsion coil spring 132 applies a force to rotate the surface of the outer frame 13 on which the mounting portion 125 of the frame 12 is provided in the clockwise direction about the shaft 131 from the shaft 131A to 131B. To give. As a result, the head unit attached to the frame body 12 is pressed in the direction of a platen roller (not shown), and it is possible to create a state in which all the recording elements of the recorder head 10 are in contact with the recording paper with equal and appropriate pressure.
[0027]
The range in which the frame 12 can rotate around the axis 131 is limited by a plate 135 attached to the outer surface of the outer frame 13 and a stopper 128 of the frame 12 in the clockwise direction. Specifically, in the clockwise direction, the stopper 128 of the frame 12 is rotated and moved beyond the locking portion 1351 by the locking portion 1351 formed by bending the lower end of the plate 135 to the frame body 12 side. Is limiting.
[0028]
The outer frame 13 is provided with mounting portions 137A and 137B for fixing the outer frame 13 to the housing. When replacing the head unit with the frame 12 attached to the outer frame 13, screws 127 </ b> A and 127 </ b> B for fixing the frame 12 and the head unit are inserted through holes 136 </ b> A and 136 </ b> B provided in the outer frame 13. If removed, only the head unit can be removed. Then, the screws 115A and 115B are removed, the recorder head 10 is replaced, and the screws 115A and 115B are attached to the mounting plate 11 again. Then, the adjustment screw 112 is inserted into the support portion 121 of the frame body 12, and the outer frame 13 The screws 127A and 127B may be tightened through the holes 136A and 136B.
A motor 139 and a gear 140 for driving a platen roller (not shown) are further attached to the outer frame 13.
[0029]
After assembling the components shown in FIG. 5, the recorder is finally combined with other mechanical components necessary for conveying the paper. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the recorder, in which the central assembly assembles the components shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, after the paper cutter 15 is screwed to the upper surface of the outer frame 13, a recorder is formed by combining the platen unit 20 and the paper transport unit 30. The assembled state is shown in FIG.
[0030]
The recording phase adjustment is performed, for example, with the recorder shown in FIG. 7 attached to an electrocardiograph (not shown) and the paper cutter 15 removed, while repeating the printing of the test pattern and the adjustment with the adjustment screws 112A and 112B. When the phase adjustment is completed, the paper cutter 15 is attached. The paper cutter 15 may be formed as a part of the electrocardiograph housing without being attached to the outer frame 13.
[0031]
When the recorder head 10 is to be replaced, the recorder head 10 is disassembled to the state shown in FIG. 6, the screws 127A and 127B of the frame 12 are removed through the holes 136A and 136B of the outer frame 13, and the recorder head 10 is replaced as described above. Then, it may be attached to the frame 12 again.
[0032]
[Other Embodiments]
In the embodiment described above, the torsion coil spring 132 attached to the shaft that attaches the frame 12 to the outer frame 13 in order to maintain the state in which the recorder head 10 (all of the recording elements) is in proper contact with the recording paper. In the above description, the configuration in which the frame is urged is described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. Of course, other than the torsion coil spring, other elastic bodies may be used, or the recorder head 10 (all recording elements) may be configured using other configurations. You may comprise so that the state which contacted the recording paper appropriately may be maintained.
[0033]
In the above-described embodiment, only the case where a thermal head is used as the recorder head has been described. However, if the adjustment mechanism according to the present invention is a recording head that needs to adjust the recording phase, an inkjet recording method or the like. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a recording head of any other recording format.
[0034]
Further, the length of the mounting plate 11 is not necessarily determined in consideration of the length (recording width direction) of the recorder head 10. That is, it may be longer or shorter than the recorder head 10. Similarly, the position at which the adjustment screw 112 is attached to the attachment plate 11 (the position of the tongue-like portion 111) may not be present at both ends of the attachment plate 11. That is, you may provide inside the position shown in a figure.
[0035]
However, if the distance between the adjustment screws 112A and 112B becomes too small, fine adjustment may be difficult. Therefore, the attachment position may be determined in consideration of the distance between the screw threads of the adjustment screw. Relationship with the thickness of the support portion 121 If the distance between the screw threads is the same, the more the pair of adjustment screws are separated in the recording width direction of the recorder head 10, the more the adjustment amount (movement) relative to the rotation amount of the adjustment screw. Amount) becomes smaller.
[0036]
Further, only the case where a screw is used as the means for adjusting the phase has been described, but it is needless to say that any means capable of adjusting the amount of displacement with sufficient accuracy with respect to the mounting plate 11 can be used. . That is, the essence of the present invention is that a mechanism for directly displacing a member to which the recorder head is attached is attached and this mechanism itself is supported by another member, and the portion of the adjustment screw supported by the support portion is, for example, a tongue. It may be provided at other positions such as the lower portion of the shape portion 111 or the middle of the screw. For example, the configuration corresponding to the screw head and the pedestal in the embodiment may be present in the lower portion of the tongue-shaped portion, and the screw head for rotating the screw may be separately present.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a recorder head adjustment mechanism that can perform high-precision recording phase adjustment with a small number of parts and that allows easy replacement of the recorder head.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration example of a recorder head adjustment assembly to which a recorder head adjustment mechanism according to the present invention is applied.
2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the recorder head 10 and the mounting plate 11 in FIG. 1 are assembled. FIG.
3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the head unit and the frame 12 in FIG. 2 are assembled. FIG.
4A is a side sectional view of a recorder head adjustment assembly according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 4B is a side sectional view of a conventional recorder head adjustment assembly.
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view for explaining an assembly structure of the recorder head adjustment assembly 1 according to the present embodiment and an outer frame 13 for attaching the assembly 1 to a housing of an electrocardiograph.
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a recorder using the recorder head adjustment assembly according to the present embodiment.
7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the components shown in FIG. 6 are assembled. FIG.

Claims (4)

A recorder head adjusting mechanism for adjusting a recording phase of a recorder head in which a plurality of recording elements are arranged,
An attachment member to which the recorder head is detachably attached;
A support member for supporting the attachment member,
The attachment member is provided with first and second adjustment means having a variable length with respect to a predetermined part of the attachment member,
The recorder head adjustment mechanism, wherein the support member supports the attachment member by supporting the first and second adjustment means. 2. The first and second adjusting means are provided with protrusions, and the support member supports the attachment member by supporting the protrusions by notches corresponding to the protrusions. Recorder head adjustment mechanism. 3. The recorder head adjustment according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined part of the attachment member has a screw hole, and the first and second adjusting means are screws corresponding to the screw hole. mechanism. The recorder head adjusting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising pressing means for pressing the support member toward the recorder head.

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