JP4346772B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly to a printer in which a printing paper loading portion and a printing paper positioning guide surface are formed on an opening / closing cover rotatably supported by an apparatus main body.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Some portable printers that are used by being mounted on an operator's body include a printing paper loading unit provided inside an opening / closing cover that is rotatably supported by an apparatus main body. For example, when the opening / closing cover opens to the side of the main body of the device via a vertical rotation shaft, in this case, the printing paper loading section is provided on the opening / closing cover to prevent the printing paper from dropping during loading. And the loading operation can be performed quickly.
[0003]
By the way, since the printing paper has several kinds of widths depending on the application, it is necessary to position the printing paper in the width direction according to the width. Therefore, in a printer in which a loading unit is provided in the opening / closing cover, a reference surface is provided on the opening / closing cover, and the printing paper is positioned by contacting the edge in the width direction of the printing paper with the reference surface.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the printer has a loading portion for the printing paper on the opening / closing cover, the loaded printing paper is easily loosened when the opening / closing operation is performed, and the leading edge of the printing paper may fall off the reference surface. It was. That is, the outer peripheral portion of the printing paper wound in a roll shape may be shifted outward from the reference surface and may not contact the reference surface. When the printing paper falls off from the reference surface in this way, the printing paper is sent to the printing unit without being positioned, and the printing paper snakes to cause a printing defect.
[0005]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a printer that prevents printing paper from falling off a reference surface.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printer in which an opening / closing cover that is rotatably supported by an apparatus main body is provided with a loading unit for loading a wound roll-shaped printing paper. A printer for positioning the printing paper in the width direction by bringing the edge of the sheet-like printing paper in the width direction into contact with the reference surface of the loading unit, and sending the positioned printing paper from the loading unit to the printing unit for printing And a guide means for guiding the printing paper fed to the printing section so as to maintain a state in contact with the reference surface, wherein the guiding means guides the printing paper toward the printing section. It is arranged near the printing section .
[0007]
According to the present invention, since the guide means for guiding the printing paper is provided, the printing paper is kept in contact with the reference surface. Accordingly, since the printing paper is fed out to the printing unit while being positioned on the reference surface, printing with high accuracy can be performed.
[0008]
Further, according to the present invention, since the guide means is provided on the reference surface, the printing paper is always in contact with the reference surface even when the reference surface is adjusted in the axial direction of the printing paper. Maintained.
[0009]
In particular, according to the present invention, when the opening / closing cover rotates via a rotation shaft arranged in a direction orthogonal to the central axis of the roll-shaped printing paper, the opening / closing cover opens to the side of the apparatus main body in a portable printer, for example. It is effective in the case.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of a printer according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0011]
First, a schematic structure of the printer 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a side view of the printer 10 in the mounted posture.
[0012]
As shown in these drawings, an opening / closing cover 18 swelled in an arc shape is rotatably supported by the apparatus body 12 at the lower part of the apparatus body 12. By opening the open / close cover 18 upward, the open / close cover 18 is disengaged from the open / close cover 18 and the apparatus main body 12 and opens sideways. When the opening / closing cover 18 is opened, the inner loading portion 15 (see FIG. 3) is exposed, and the rolled label paper 14 (see FIG. 7) can be loaded.
[0013]
A data transmission / reception unit 20 is provided in the upper part of the apparatus main body 12, and a receiving apparatus (not shown) is provided inside the cover 22. When a print data signal is transmitted by infrared rays or the like from a transmission means (for example, a handy terminal) (not shown), this receiving device receives this signal and transmits the data to a print unit (not shown). The receiving device can be rotated by operating a direction switching lever 24 disposed on the side surface of the device body 12 to change the receiving direction. A connector 26 is provided on the side surface of the apparatus main body 12, and print data can be transmitted and received by directly connecting the transmitting means to the connector 26 via a signal cable or the like.
[0014]
An operation unit 30 is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12, and a feed button 32, a print button 34, and a status lamp 36 are arranged in parallel on the operation unit 30. The status lamp 36 is turned on when the data transmission / reception unit 20 receives data, so that the operator can confirm that the print data has been received. The print button 34 is configured as a push button type. When the print button 34 is pressed, the label paper 14 is supplied to the printing unit, and the label is printed by the printing unit. The feed button 32 is also a push button type, and by pressing the feed button 32, the label paper 14 is sent out without being printed.
[0015]
A label paper outlet 40 is provided in front of the apparatus main body 12, and a printing unit (not shown) is provided inside the label paper outlet 40. This printing unit is composed of a thermal head (not shown) and a platen roller (see FIG. 3) 78. By supplying the label paper 14 between the thermal head and the platen roller 78, the price, barcode, etc. Printed (printed). The printed label paper 14 is discharged from the label paper outlet 40.
[0016]
A mount stripping device 42 is provided above the label sheet take-out port 40. The mount stripping device 42 slides in the vertical direction by narrowing the distance between the pair of sandwiching knobs 44, 44. . In addition, a label take-out port 46 is formed in the mount sheet peeling device 42. When the mount sheet peeling device 42 is slid downward to match the position of the label take-out port 46 and the label sheet take-out port 40, the label sheet take-out port 42 is formed. The label paper 14 delivered from 40 is peeled off from the mount and protrudes from the label take-out port 46, and the peeled mount is discharged from the space between the lower portion of the mount peeling device 42 and the apparatus main body 12.
[0017]
A holding unit 50 for mounting the printer 10 on the body is provided on the back surface of the apparatus main body 12. The holding plate 52 constituting the holding unit 50 is swingably supported on the back surface of the apparatus main body 12, and the holding part 52 </ b> A below the support part is moved toward the apparatus main body 12 by a leaf spring (not shown). Is being energized. Accordingly, by pressing the upper pressing portion 52B of the support portion against the urging force toward the apparatus main body 12 side, the gap between the holding portion 52A and the apparatus main body 12 can be opened, and an operator can be inserted into the gap. If the belt or the like is inserted, the belt or the like can be clamped between the biased clamping portion 52A and the apparatus main body 12.
[0018]
Incidentally, the battery cover 4 shown in Figure 1, becomes freely rotatable in the apparatus main body 12 by sliding toward the rear of the apparatus body 12, to expose the device main body 12 inside the battery case (not shown) it can. In this battery case, a battery serving as a power source for the printer 10 is stored. The power supply of the printer 10 is switched by a power switch 56.
[0019]
Next, a method of using the printer 10 configured as described above will be described.
[0020]
First, the open / close lever 16 is slid upward to open the open / close cover 18, and the wound roll-shaped label paper 14 is set in the inner loading portion, and the open / close cover 18 is closed. As a result, the rolled label paper 14 is stored in the printer 10.
[0021]
Next, while pressing the pressing portion 52B of the holding portion 50 toward the apparatus main body 12 to widen the gap between the holding portion 52A and the apparatus main body 12, the holding plate 52 is inserted into the inside of the operator's belt, and the pressing portion 52B is released. As a result, the belt can be clamped between the clamping unit 52A biased by a leaf spring (not shown) and the apparatus main body 12, and the printer 10 can be attached to the operator.
[0022]
Next, after the power is turned on by the power switch 56 on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12, the direction switching lever 24 on the side surface of the apparatus main body 12 is rotated to change the receiving direction of the receiving device (not shown) inside the cover 22. Directed in the direction of the transmission means (not shown). As a result, the print data signal can be reliably received from the transmission means. Then, the fact that the print data has been received is confirmed by the lighting of the status lamp 36, and the operation proceeds to the label printing operation.
[0023]
The label printing operation is performed by pressing the print button 34, and when the print button 34 is pressed once, one label is printed. The label is printed based on the received print data, and is printed based on the same data unless new print data is received. Further, when it is desired to automatically peel off the printed label from the mount, the label peeled off from the mount is discharged from the label outlet 46 by sliding the mount peeling device 42 downward. Thus, the label printing operation is completed, and the label discharged from the label paper outlet 40 or the label outlet 46 is taken and attached to a product or the like.
[0024]
The printer 10 can also be installed and used on a desktop or the like. In this case, the apparatus main body 12 is installed with the front face up, and the same operation as described above is performed to print on the label.
[0025]
Next, the loading unit 15 for the label paper 14 which is a characteristic part of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the printer 10 with the opening / closing cover 18 opened to expose the loading unit 15, and FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the structure of the loading unit 15 for the label paper 14.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 3, the opening / closing cover 18 is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body 12 via a rotation shaft (not shown) that is substantially vertical when mounted, and opens sideways with respect to the apparatus main body 12. It is like that. A platen roller 78 constituting a printing unit is rotatably supported on the upper portion of the opening / closing cover 18. The platen roller 78 is brought into contact with a thermal head (not shown) attached to the apparatus main body 12 when the opening / closing cover 18 is closed.
[0027]
Below the platen roller 78, a loading unit 15 for the label paper 14 is provided. The support column 60 constituting the loading unit 15 is vertically attached to the inner side surface of the opening / closing cover 18 and is formed in a shape in which the side surface of the cylinder is cut off by two parallel planes as shown in FIG. That is, the column 60 includes a pair of opposed curved surface portions 60A and 60A and a pair of opposed flat surface portions 60B and 60B. A plurality of convex portions 60C, 60C... Are formed at the base end portions of the curved surface portions 60A, 60A, respectively, perpendicular to the axis of the support column 60.
[0028]
A label guide 62 is fitted on the column 60. The label guide 62 includes a disk portion 62A having a reference surface 70 and a cylindrical portion 62B perpendicular to the reference surface 70, and a rotating body 64 is rotatably supported by the cylindrical portion 62B. A pair of claws 76 and 76 are formed to project at the tip of the cylindrical portion 62B, and the claws 76 and 76 are engaged with the rotating body 64 to prevent the rotating body 64 from falling off. The wound roll-shaped label paper 14 is mounted on the rotating body 64 and is rotatably supported, and is fed by rotating the platen roller 78.
[0029]
On the other hand, in the disk portion 62A shown in FIG. 4, the reference surface 70 is formed perpendicularly to the axis of the support column 60, and the label is formed by contacting the edge in the width direction of the label paper 14 fitted on the rotating body 64. The paper 14 can be positioned in the width direction. Further, the disc portion 62A is cut-out portion 72 in the shape of inverted V is formed, by applying a finger to the notch 7 2 or label from the sheet 14, the label sheet 14 attached to the rotating body 64 Easy to remove. Further, a knob 74 is formed in a zigzag shape at a position adjacent to the notch portion 72 on the outer peripheral surface of the disc portion 62A, and the disc portion 62A can be easily swung.
[0030]
A pair of clamping members 66, 66 are attached to the back surface of the disk portion 62A. The clamping member 66 has an arcuate clamping surface 66A, and a plurality of grooves 66B, 66B,... That engage with the convex portion 60C are formed on the clamping surface 66A. Therefore, when the label guide 62 is rotated, the sandwiching surfaces 66A and 66A of the pair of sandwiching members 66 and 66 are positioned on the curved surface portions 60A and 60A of the support column 60, and the convex portions 60C, 60C, and the grooves 66B and 66B. ... are engaged, or the clamping surfaces 66A, 66A are positioned on the flat portions 60B, 60B side of the support column 60 and the engagement is released. For example, the state shown in FIG. 5A is a state in which the convex portions 60C, 60C... Are engaged with the grooves 66B, 66B. Therefore, the label guide 62 cannot slide in the axial direction of the support column 60, and the reference surface 70 is in a fixed state. On the other hand, in the state shown in FIG. 5B, the label guide 62 is rotated 45 degrees counterclockwise from the fixed state, and the projections 60C, 60C... And the grooves 66B, 66B. It is in a released state. Therefore, the label guide 62 can slide with respect to the support column 60, and the reference surface 70 is in a state where the position can be adjusted. In this way, the printer 10 can adjust the position of the reference surface 70 in the direction of the support 60 by rotating the label guide 62 counterclockwise, and conversely, by rotating the label guide 62 clockwise. The position of can be fixed. The label paper 14 mounted on the rotating body 64 is positioned by being brought into contact with the reference surface 70. For example, the label paper 14 is positioned so that the center of the label paper 14 matches the center position of the printing unit.
[0031]
As shown in FIG. 6, a guide piece (corresponding to guide means) 80 is attached to the reference surface 70. The guide piece 80 is disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the reference surface 70 and in the vicinity of the printing portion, for example, above the notch groove 72. As a result, the label paper 14 in contact with the reference surface 70 is guided by the guide piece 80 as shown in FIG. Therefore, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 7, the label paper 14 does not fall off from the reference surface 70.
[0032]
In order to load the label paper 14 into the loading unit 15 configured as described above, first, the opening / closing lever 16 is pushed upward to rotate the opening / closing cover 18 to the side. Then, the position of the reference surface 70 is adjusted by sliding the label guide 62 with respect to the support column 60. Next, the wound roll-shaped label sheet 14 is mounted on the rotating body 64, and the label sheet 14 is positioned by bringing the edge in the width direction of the label sheet 14 into contact with the reference surface 70. Next, the opening / closing cover 18 is closed while the leading end of the label paper 14 is applied to the platen roller 78. At this time, the label paper 14 is always guided by the guide piece 80 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the label paper 14 does not fall off the reference surface 70 when the label paper 14 is loaded or when the opening / closing cover 18 is opened / closed. That is, the label paper 14 is always guided by the reference surface 70 and stored while being positioned at a predetermined position. As a result, the label paper 14 is fed out to the printing unit without meandering, and is printed with high accuracy in the printing unit.
[0033]
Thus, according to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, since the guide piece 80 is provided on the reference surface 70, the label paper 14 is prevented from dropping off from the reference surface 70. Accordingly, since the label paper 14 is fed out to the printing unit while being positioned at a predetermined position, the printing can be performed with high accuracy in the printing unit.
[0034]
Further, according to the printer 10, it is not necessary to carefully close the opening / closing cover 18 so that the label paper 14 does not fall off the reference surface 70, and the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover 18 can be performed quickly.
[0035]
Further, according to the printer 10, since the guide piece 80 for guiding the label paper 14 is provided on the reference surface 70, the label paper 14 can always be prevented from falling regardless of the position of the reference surface 70.
[0036]
Furthermore, according to the printer 10, since the guide piece 80 is disposed in the vicinity of the printing unit, it is possible to effectively prevent the label paper 14 from being displaced from a predetermined position in the printing unit.
[0037]
In addition, although embodiment mentioned above demonstrated that the guide piece 80 was attached to the reference plane 70, the guide piece 80 may be integrally formed with the reference plane 70 by providing a convex part in the reference plane 70.
[0038]
In addition, the shape and arrangement of the guide piece 80 are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be any as long as the label sheet 14 can be prevented from falling off the reference surface 70. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a guide piece 82 may be disposed at a lower position when the label sheet 14 is attached to prevent the label paper 14 from falling. Moreover, you may provide both the guide piece 80 of FIG. 6, and the guide piece 82 of FIG. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, a ridge 84 that guides the label paper 14 over substantially the entire circumference of the reference surface 70 may be provided. In this case, it is possible to prevent the label paper 14 from dropping in all directions. In addition, by providing the notch part 86 in the protruding item | line part 84, the label paper 14 can be let out to a printing part.
[0039]
Further, the guide piece 80 may be moved in the radial direction of the roll-shaped label paper 14 and the guide piece 80 may be biased in the central axis direction of the label paper 14. As a result, the guide piece 80 is always in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the label paper 14 and fraying of the label paper 14 is prevented, so that the label paper 14 does not fall off the reference surface 70.
[0040]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the guide means for guiding the label paper 14 is provided on the reference surface 70, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the guide means may be attached to the opening / closing cover 18.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the printer of the present invention, by providing the guide means, the printing paper always comes into contact with the reference surface, so that printing with high accuracy can be performed on the printing paper.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a printer according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the printer shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the printer with an opening / closing cover shown in FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the structure of the loading section shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view for explaining the operation method of the label guide. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the label guide for explaining the guide piece. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a label guide provided with a guide piece at a position different from that in FIG. 5. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the label guide showing a guide piece having a shape different from that in FIG. Explanation of]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printer, 12 ... Apparatus main body, 14 ... Label paper, 18 ... Opening / closing cover, 20 ... Data transmission / reception part, 30 ... Operation part, 50 ... Holding part, 60 ... Support | pillar, 62 ... Label guide, 64 ... Rotating body, 68 ... Scale, 70 ... Reference plane, 80 ... Guide piece

Claims (3)

A printer provided with a loading unit for loading a wound roll-shaped printing paper on an opening / closing cover rotatably supported by the apparatus body,
Positioning the printing paper in the width direction by bringing the edge in the width direction of the roll-shaped printing paper into contact with the reference surface of the loading unit;
In the printer for sending the printed printing paper from the loading unit to the printing unit for printing, guide means for guiding the printing paper sent to the printing unit so as to maintain a state in contact with the reference surface is provided,
The printer according to claim 1, wherein the guide means is disposed in the vicinity of the printing unit so as to guide the printing paper toward the printing unit . The printer according to claim 1 , wherein a cutout portion is formed in a V shape on the reference surface . 2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing cover is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body via a rotation shaft disposed in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the roll-shaped printing paper.

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