JP4307651B2 - Tag printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tag printer which prevents defective printings from being made on tags with strings prevented from coming into a printing part. SOLUTION: In a tag printer 10, a rubber roller 20 is provided along a track whereon tags 12 are transferred from a storing part 16 to a printing part 14. Strings 13 of tags 12 piled up in the storing part 16 are engaged with the rubber roller 20, and the strings 13 are prevented from loosening with the rubber roller 20 turned in the direction marked with an arrow. A spiral groove is formed at the outer circumferential face of the rubber roller 20, and the strings 13 of the tags 12 housed in the storing part 16 are engaged with the spiral groove and brought aside toward the storing part 16.

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tag printer, and more particularly to a tag printer that prints print data such as a barcode on a single-leaf tag with a thread (hereinafter referred to as a tag).
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a tag with a thread is attached to a clothing item or a decorative item as a price tag or a fashion tag. A tag with a thread is suspended from clothing by a thread, and information such as a barcode and a price is printed on the surface thereof.
[0003]
A tag printer for printing the tag is mainly composed of a storage unit, a printing unit, and a transfer device. In this tag printer, tags are first stacked in a storage unit and stored in a positioned state. At this time, the tag is stored in a state where the yarn is suspended from the side edge in the pitch direction to the outside. The accommodated tags are sequentially fed out from the lower side and transferred to the printing unit in the width direction of the tag. The tag transferred to the printing unit is printed while being transferred in the direction of the side edge on the side where the yarn hangs down, so that the yarn does not enter the printing unit.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional tag printer is hung in a slack state of the stacked tag thread, so that the tag thread to be transported and the stacked tag thread get entangled and enter the printing unit. . When the yarn enters the printing portion, the printing of the portion where the yarn enters is lost and a printing defect occurs.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tag printer that can prevent a thread from entering a printing unit and prevent the occurrence of tag printing defects. .
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention of claim 1, wherein in order to achieve the above object, a storage unit that tag with the yarn are stacked, a printing unit having a platen roller and the print head, the lowermost tag laminated on the housing part a transfer means for transferring said printing unit one by one tag on the side, in a tag printer having a well as engage the threads of the tag, and a rubber roller that is provided in the transport direction of the tag from the storage unit by rotating the rubber roller, before SL to yarns tags tension, characterized in that the so that to prevent loosening of the thread of the tag.
[0007]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the thread of the tag is handled by the rubber roller to prevent the slack of the thread. Therefore, even if the tag is transferred to the printing unit, the yarn does not enter the printing unit, and printing failure occurs. Can be prevented.
[0008]
According to the first aspect of the invention, the yarn of the tag engage the rubber roller, so that by rotating the rubber rollers can yarn with tension to prevent slack of the yarn. Therefore, when transferring the tag print unit, since the thread is transferred in the state engaged with the rubber roller, the yarn does not occur a defective printing enters the printing unit.
[0009]
According to the invention of claim 2, wherein since the spiral groove on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber roller is formed, when rotating the rubber rollers, yarn tag stored in the storing portion the spiral It is engaged with the groove and moves to the storage portion side. Therefore, when the tag is transferred, the tag yarn on the storage unit side is not moved to the printing unit side by the tag yarn being transferred. Thereby, the thread | yarn of the tag accommodated in the accommodating part can prevent entering into a printing part.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of a tag printer according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a tag printer 10 according to the present embodiment.
[0012]
As shown in the figure, the tag printer 10 of the present invention is mainly housed in a printing unit 14 for printing predetermined print data on the surface of a tag 12, a housing unit 16 in which the tag 12 is housed, and a housing unit 16. The transfer device 18 for transferring the tag 12 to the printing unit 14 and a rubber roller (slack prevention means) 20 with which the thread 13 of the tag 12 is engaged.
[0013]
The printing unit 14 includes a thermal print head 22 and a platen roller 24. The tag 12 is supplied between the thermal print head 22 and the platen roller 24, and predetermined print data is printed by the thermal transfer carbon ribbon ( (If the tag 12 is a thermal coloring type, the thermal transfer carbon ribbon is not required.)
[0014]
The printing unit 14 performs printing while feeding the tag 12 in a direction (front direction in the figure) orthogonal to the tag 12 transfer direction (right to left direction in the figure). As a result, tag 1 2, after being supplied from the side, so that the fed out in the forward direction while being printed by the printing unit 14.
[0015]
The storage unit 16 is arranged in parallel with the printing unit 14 and stores a plurality of tags 12 in a stacked state. The tag 12 is placed on a fixed stage 26, and passages 26A and 26A (see FIG. 3) of suction pads 28 described later are formed in the fixed stage 26 along the supply direction of the tag 12.
[0016]
A side plate 38 is erected vertically on the left side of the fixed stage 26, and the tag 12 is positioned in the width direction by pressing the side edge of the tag 12 against the side plate 38.
[0017]
A hopper device 30 is provided on the right side of the fixed stage 26 so as to be slidable in the width direction of the tag 12. A reference side tag guide 32 is fixed to the hopper device 30, and a movable side tag guide 34 is supported so as to be slidable in the pitch direction of the tag 12. Thereby, the tag 12 can be positioned in the pitch direction by sliding the movable tag guide 34 against the end of the tag 12 while pressing the tag 12 against the reference tag guide 32.
[0018]
The transfer device 18 includes three suction pads 28, 28, and 28, and sucks the lower surface of the lowermost tag 12 among the tags 12 stored in the storage unit 16. The tag 12 is transferred to the printing unit 14 by moving the suction pad 28 to the printing unit 14 side.
[0019]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rubber roller 20 is configured by covering the outer periphery of the shaft core 21 with rubber, and is supported so as to be rotatable in parallel with the transfer direction (width direction) of the tag 12. . The rubber roller 20 is engaged with the threads 13 (only one is shown) of the tag 12 stored in the storage unit 16. The rubber roller 20 is connected to a drive device (not shown) and is always rotated at a low speed in the direction of the arrow 42 by the drive device. As a result, a frictional resistance acts between the rubber roller 20 and the yarn 13, and the yarn 13 is handled by being pulled in a direction in which the lower end is lowered, so that the yarn 13 is not loosened. The rotational speed of the rubber roller 20 is set so that a frictional resistance is exerted between the rubber roller 20 and the yarn 13 so that the position of the tag 12 to be transferred or the tag 12 to be stacked does not shift.
[0020]
A spiral groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber roller 20. The spiral groove is formed so as to apparently move from the printing unit 14 side to the storage unit 16 side when the rubber roller 20 is rotated.
[0021]
Next, the operation of the tag printer 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 4A, the thread 13 of the tag 12 housed in the housing portion 16 is engaged with a rubber roller 20, and the rubber roller 20 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 42. Therefore, an appropriate tension is applied to the yarn 13 by the frictional resistance between the yarn 13 and the rubber roller 20, and the yarn 13 is prevented from loosening. As a result, the thread 13 of the tag 12 is prevented from coming off from the rubber roller 20 and is always engaged with the rubber roller 20.
[0023]
Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the lowermost tag 12 among the many tags 12 housed in the housing portion 16 is sucked by the suction pad 28 (see FIG. 3) and leftward. Transport. At this time, the yarns 13 of the multiple tags 12 stored in the storage unit 16 are entangled with the yarns 13 of the tag 12 to be transferred and move to the left side. However, the thread 13 of the tag 12 on the storage unit side engages with the spiral groove of the rubber roller 20 and is brought to the right and returns to its original position. Accordingly, the thread 13 of the tag 12 stored in the storage section 16 is dragged by the thread 13 of the tag 12 being transferred and is separated from the rubber roller 20 or enters the printing section 14 (above the platen roller 24 in the figure). Don't be fooled. On the other hand, since the tag 12 being transferred is transferred while the thread 13 is engaged with the rubber roller 20, the thread 13 does not enter the printing unit 14.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 4C, the tag 12 transferred to the printing unit 14 is printed while being transferred forward. Therefore, the tag 12 does not cause printing defects because the thread 13 does not enter the printing unit 14 even when printing.
[0025]
Thus, in the tag printer 10 of the present embodiment, the thread 13 of the tag 12 housed in the housing portion 16 and the thread 13 of the tag 12 transported by the transport device 18 are engaged with the rubber roller 20. Further, the thread 13 of the tag 12 does not enter the printing unit 14, and the occurrence of printing defects can be prevented. Further, the tag printer 10 rotates the rubber roller 20 to give an appropriate frictional resistance between the thread 13 and the rubber roller 20, so that the thread 13 can be prevented from coming off from the rubber roller 20. Further, since the tag printer 10 has a spiral groove formed on the surface of the rubber roller 20, the thread 13 of the tag 12 stored in the storage unit 16 moves to the printing unit 14 side and comes off from the rubber roller 20, or the printing unit. 14 can be prevented.
[0026]
In the above-described embodiment, the thread 13 of the tag 12 is engaged with the rubber roller 20 to prevent the thread 13 from entering the printing unit 14, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the endless rubber belt 50 may prevent the thread 13 from entering the printing unit 14. The endless rubber belt 50 is wound around the driving roller 52 and the driven roller 54 and rotates around the driving roller 52 in the direction of the arrow 56. As a result, an appropriate tension is applied to the thread 13 by the frictional resistance between the thread 13 of the tag 12 and the rubber belt 50, and the slack of the thread 13 is prevented. Further, on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber belt 50, a plurality of concave strip portions and convex strip portions are alternately formed in an oblique direction with respect to the circumferential direction, and when the rubber belt 50 is circulated, the concave strip portions and the convex strip portions are formed. Apparently moves from the printing unit 14 side to the storage unit 16 side. Thereby, the thread 13 of the tag 12 stored in the storage unit 16 is moved rightward in FIG. 5 (that is, the storage unit 16 side), so that the thread 13 of the tag 12 does not enter the printing unit 14. . Reference numeral 58 in FIG. 6 denotes a roller that is pressed against the rubber belt 50 to prevent the rubber belt 50 from vibrating.
[0027]
Further, in the embodiment described above, the spiral groove is formed on the surface of the rubber roller 20 to prevent the thread 13 of the tag 12 stored in the storage unit 16 from dropping off from the rubber roller 20, but the present invention is limited to this. It is not a thing. For example, the rubber roller 60 shown in FIG. 7A is formed so that the diameter gradually increases from the storage unit 16 side to the printing unit 14 side. Therefore, the thread 13 of the tag 12 stored in the storage unit 16 is brought close to the storage unit 16 and does not enter the printing unit 14. Further, the rubber roller 62 shown in FIG. 7B is formed so that the end portion on the printing unit 14 side has a large diameter and the end portion on the storage unit 16 side also has a large diameter. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the thread 13 of the tag 12 stored in the storage unit 16 from dropping off from the right side of the rubber roller 62.
[0028]
In the above-described embodiment, the rubber roller 20 is always rotated. However, the transfer device 18 may be intermittently operated when the tag 12 is transferred.
[0029]
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the rubber roller 20 coated with rubber is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any rubber roller 20 may be used as long as an appropriate frictional resistance works with the yarn 13. .
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the tag printer of the present invention, the thread of the tag is handled by the slack prevention means to prevent the slack of the thread. Therefore, even if the tag is transferred, the thread does not enter the printing unit. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of printing defects.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a tag printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a positional relationship between a rubber roller and its peripheral members. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the tag printer of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view showing another embodiment of the rubber roller. FIG. 6 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the rubber roller.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Tag printer, 12 ... Tag, 14 ... Printing part, 16 ... Storage part, 18 ... Transfer device, 20 ... Rubber roller, 24 ... Platen roller

Claims (2)

A storage unit in which tags with a thread are stacked, a printing unit having a platen roller and a printing head,
In a tag printer having a transfer means for transferring the tag located on the lowermost side of the tags stacked in the storage unit to the printing unit one by one,
A rubber roller that engages with the thread of the tag and is provided in the transfer direction of the tag from the storage portion;
Tag printer, characterized in that said by rotating the rubber roller was pre SL to yarns tags tension on so that to prevent loosening of the thread of the tag. Wherein the outer peripheral surface of the rubber roller, spiral grooves are formed, the housing part side thread engaged with the helical groove of the tags received in the receiving portion by rotating the rubber rollers 2. The tag printer according to claim 1, wherein

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