JP4505376B2 - Head attachment / detachment mechanism for thermal printer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a head attachment / detachment mechanism in a thermal printer provided with a detachable thermal head for replacing a consumable thermal head (also simply referred to as a head).

  In a conventional thermal printer equipped with a removable thermal head, the thermal head mounting plate is mounted separately in the device, and the spring is pulled out of the device by an elastically biased tension spring. Some have been made to prevent (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Hereinafter, a head attaching / detaching mechanism in a thermal printer provided with a conventional detachable thermal head will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 100A denotes a side plate of the thermal head mounting plate 100. A holding pin 100B and a notch 100C are formed on the side plate 100A. An annular groove 101 </ b> A is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 101.

To mount the thermal head mounting plate 100 in the apparatus for assembling the thermal printer or replacing the thermal head, as shown in FIG. 8, the notch 100C formed on the side plate 100A is rotated. The holding pin 100B is inserted into the L-shaped notch 102B formed on the side plate 102A of the pressing member 102 along the arrow A, and inserted into the annular groove 101A formed on the shaft 101. With this alone, the thermal head mounting plate 100 engages with the pressing member 102 and the rotating shaft 101, and the thermal head mounting plate 100 and the pressing member 102 rotate integrally around the rotating shaft 101. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, since the thermal head mounting plate 100 is pulled forward by the tension spring 103, the holding pin 100B is prevented from falling off from the notch 102B.
JP 2002-19167

  In the head attachment / detachment mechanism in the conventional thermal printer provided with the detachable thermal head described above, the thermal head mounting plate is incorporated into the apparatus, or the thermal head mounting plate is removed from the apparatus for replacing the thermal head. In order to re-install, it is necessary to remove or attach the tension spring to prevent the thermal head mounting plate from falling off, but the work space is narrow and the workability is poor, so the installation time or replacement time is long. It took time.

  The present invention is intended to solve the problems of such a conventional configuration, and realizes a head attaching / detaching mechanism in a thermal printer in which a thermal head which is a consumable item can be easily attached or replaced. It is for the purpose.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a head attaching / detaching mechanism in a thermal printer according to the present invention includes a bracket plate to which a line-type thermal head in which heating elements are arranged in a first direction in the width direction is attached, and a bracket plate surface. In the head attaching / detaching mechanism in the thermal printer, the guide plate is attached so that the bracket plate can be attached and detached in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The first direction and the second direction of the bracket plate In a first direction of the guide plate so as to abut on the groove, a groove formed in a second direction of the standing part, and a groove formed in a second direction of the standing part. The bracket plate can be attached to and detached from the guide plate by engaging with and disengaging from the formed flat plate portion. The guide side plate portion and the bracket side plate portion bent at both ends in the direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and the outer surfaces of both bracket side plate portions between the inner surfaces of the both guide side plate portions When both sides slide and come into contact with the groove and the flat plate part, the guide side plate part and the bracket side plate part have a width smaller than the diameter of the round hole in a part of the same shape round hole that penetrates. Narrow notches are opened at the lower ends of the guide side plate portions and the bracket side plate portions, and the pivot shafts pivotally supported in the first direction on the guide side plate portions, A swing member is rotated, and a shaft is pivotally supported on the swing member so as to be parallel to the pivot shaft. Both ends of the shaft are pseudo-elliptical, and the width of the short side is Narrower and longer than the width of the notches opened at the lower ends of both guide side plates and the bracket side plates. The width, with greater than the width of the notch, are those slightly narrower than the diameter of the round hole.

The head attachment / detachment mechanism in the thermal printer of the present invention includes a bracket plate on which a line-type thermal head in which heating elements are arranged in a first direction in the width direction is attached, and a first perpendicular to the first direction on the bracket plate surface. In a head attaching / detaching mechanism in a thermal printer provided with a guide plate that is attached so that the bracket plate can be attached / detached in the direction of 2, in a third upward direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction of the bracket plate. Engagement / disengagement of the upright portion, the groove formed in the second direction of the upright portion, and the flat plate portion formed in the first direction of the guide plate so as to contact the groove The bracket plate can be attached to and detached from the guide plate, and both ends of the both plates in the first direction are connected to the first direction and the second direction. A guide side plate portion and a bracket side plate portion bent in a third downward direction perpendicular to the direction, and the outer surface sides of both bracket side plate portions are in sliding contact between the inner surfaces of the both guide side plate portions, and the groove and the flat plate portion are When abutting, the guide side plate portions and the bracket side plate portions have notches that are narrower than the diameter of the round holes in a part of the same round hole that penetrates the guide side plate portions and the both bracket side plate portions. A pivot shaft that is opened at the lower end of the bracket side plate portion and is pivotally supported in the first direction on both guide side plate portions, and a pivot member is pivoted on the pivot shaft, and the pivot member The shaft is pivotally supported in parallel with the pivoted shaft, and both ends of the shaft are pseudo-elliptical and the width of the short side is the lower end of the guide side plate portions and the bracket side plate portions. The width of the longer side is smaller than the width of the notch, Since it is wide and slightly narrower than the diameter of the round hole, the diameter of the round hole is smaller than the diameter of the round hole with the same shape opened through the lower ends of both guide side plates and the bracket side plates. By engaging and disengaging the pivoting member at both ends of the shaft with respect to the notch with a narrow width and turning operation, the bracket plate can be easily attached to and detached from the guide plate without requiring a tension spring as in the prior art. Therefore, the workability is improved, and the effect that the assembling time or the replacement time can be reduced is exhibited.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a head attaching / detaching mechanism in the thermal printer of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the thermal head 1 is a line type in which heating elements (not shown) are arranged in the width direction (first direction). Two screw holes 2 are drilled in the width direction (first direction) of the thermal head 1.

  On the other hand, in the width direction (first direction) of the bracket plate 20, two screws 21 are disposed so as to face the two screw holes 2 of the thermal head 1. The thermal head 1 is attached to the back surface of the bracket plate 20 by screwing each screw 21 into each screw hole 2. Further, two standing portions 22 are provided in the width direction (first direction) of the bracket plate 20, and are attached to and detached from the guide plate 30 in a second direction orthogonal to the width direction (first direction). It is like that.

  The standing portion 22 has an L shape with a groove 25 formed in the second direction, and the plane portion of the bracket plate 20 is cut into an L shape so as to be orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. It is bent up in the direction (third direction) to stand. The height of the groove 25 in the third direction is slightly larger than the height of the flat plate portion 31A of the guide plate 30 in the third direction, and is arbitrarily tilted upward from the opening end of the groove 25 in the second direction. The oblique side portion 22A is formed at the angle, and the oblique side portion 22A is formed, so that the bracket plate 20 can be easily attached to and detached from the guide plate 30.

  Note that the shape of the standing portion 22 is not limited to the L shape, and may be any shape as long as at least the groove 25 is formed. The standing portion 22 may be fixed separately from the bracket plate 20. Furthermore, the standing portion 22 can be provided as appropriate without being limited to two places.

  The bracket side plate portion 23 is erected in the third direction by bending the flat portion of the bracket plate 20 to both ends in the first direction. Further, a round hole 24 is provided in the vicinity of the lower end 23A of the bracket side plate portion 23 at both ends, and a notch 24A that is narrower than the diameter of the round hole 24 and includes the center portion is formed at the lower end 23A of the bracket side plate portion 23 at both ends. It is open.

  In the first direction of the guide plate 30, rectangular recesses 31 are provided at two locations, and in each recess 31, a flat plate portion 31 </ b> A is provided in the first direction so as to face each standing portion 22. ing. Further, the length of the concave portion 31 in the second direction is larger than the length of the long side 22 </ b> B of the standing portion 22. In the embodiment of the present invention, the rectangular recess 31 is described. However, the flat plate portion 31 </ b> A is formed in the first direction of the guide plate 30 so as to face at least each standing portion 22. Any shape can be used.

  The guide side plate portion 32 is erected in the third direction by bending the flat portion of the guide plate 30 to both ends in the first direction. Since the inner surface sides of the guide side plate portions 32 at both ends are formed slightly larger than the outer surface sides of the bracket side plate portions 23 at both ends of the bracket plate 20, the bracket plate 20 can be easily attached to and detached from the guide plate 30. Yes. In addition, a round hole 34 is provided in the vicinity of the lower end 32A of the guide side plate portion 32 at both ends, and a notch 34A that is narrower than the diameter of the round hole 34 and includes the center portion is formed on the lower end 32A of the bracket side plate portion 32 at both ends. Opened in part. The round hole 34 is formed to have the same shape at a position penetrating the round hole 24 provided in the bracket side plate portion 23 when the bracket plate 20 is attached to the guide plate 30 at a predetermined position. Yes.

In this embodiment, the groove 25 is formed in a first direction of the standing portion 22 of the bracket plate 20, the case where the first flat plate portion 31A in the recess 31 in the direction of the guide plate 30 is formed While described, without being limited thereto, a groove 25 is formed in a first direction of the standing portion 22 of the guide plate 30, first the recess 31 in the direction the flat plate portion 31A of the bracket plate 20 May be formed. Further, projecting portions 32B are formed below the guide side plate portions 32 at both ends, pivot shafts 33 are pivotally supported by the projecting portions 32B at both ends, and locking grooves are formed at both ends of the pivot shaft 33. Are provided, and the E-shaped retaining ring 35 is locked in the respective locking grooves to be positioned in the first direction.

  A long hole 34B is provided above the protrusions 32B of the guide side plate portions 32 at both ends so that the main shaft 36 penetrates, and the main shaft 36 is a clamshell type cover (see FIG. (Not shown). When the cover is closed with respect to the main body, the thermal head 1 is elastically brought into contact with the platen roller disposed on the main body side via the recording paper, and the cover is opened and closed when the roll-shaped recording paper is loaded. Or it is performed at the time of internal cleaning or head replacement.

  The swinging member 40 for protecting the thermal head 1 is integrally formed at both ends in the first direction so that the swinging member side plate 40A stands up in the rotating direction. Further, the pivot shafts 33 of the protrusions 32B at both ends are pivotally supported by the swing member side plates 40A at both ends, and both ends are locked by the E-shaped retaining rings 35, and are positioned in the first direction. In this way, the swinging member 40 is rotated around the pivot shaft 33.

  The shaft 41 is pivotally supported on the swing member side plates 40A at both ends, and both ends of the shaft 41 facing the round hole 24 and the round hole 34 as the shaft 41 rotates together with the swing member 40 are pseudo-elliptical. As an example, the shaft 41 has a short side 41B opposite to the circumference of the circumference of the shaft 41, and the width of the opposed short side 41B is narrower than the width of the notch 24A or the notch 34A. A portion 41A is formed. On the other hand, the diameter (long side width) of the shaft 41 is larger than the width of the cutout 24A or the width of the cutout 34A. The shaft end 41A is not limited to the shaft end 41A shown in the present embodiment, and the width of the opposing short side 41B of the shaft end 41A is narrower than the notches 24A and 34A, and the shaft The pseudo-elliptical shape may be such that the diameter (long side width) of the end portion 41A is wider than the notches 24A and 34A.

  A lock arm 37 is fitted to one end of the shaft 41, and the shaft 41 rotates together with the lock arm 37. On the outside of the lock arm 37, an E-shaped retaining ring 35 is engaged with the shaft 41, and the lock arm 37 is positioned in the first direction. The distal end of the lock arm 37 is U-shaped, and the opening width of the locking portion 37A that opens to the outside is slightly narrower than the diameter of the pivot shaft 33, and is pivotally supported by the elastic force of the locking portion 37A. It engages with the shaft 33. Further, the swing member 40 and the lock arm 37 are rotated around the pivot shaft 33 so as to be accommodated inside the guide side plate portions 32 on both sides of the guide plate 30.

  Next, a method for fixing the bracket plate 20, the guide plate 30, and the swing member 40 will be described. First, the bracket plate 20 to which the thermal head 1 is screwed with the screws 21 is mounted inside the guide plate 30 while the bracket side plate portions 23 on both sides are in sliding contact with the guide side plate portions 32 on both sides. Then, the groove 25 of the standing portion 22 is brought into contact with the flat plate portion 31 </ b> A of the concave portion 31. This position is called a predetermined position.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, when the bracket plate 20 is attached to the guide plate 30 at a predetermined position, the lock arm 37 is then rotated around the pivot shaft 33 together with the swing member 40. Then, the lock arm 37 is rotated so that the short side 41B of the shaft end 41A is inserted into the notch 24A of the bracket side plate 23 at both ends and the notch 34A of the guide side plate 32 at both ends.

  Next, when the lock arm 37 is rotated counterclockwise to engage the locking portion 37A with the pivot shaft 33, the lock arm 37 is fixed by the elastic force of the locking portion 37A and the shaft end portion is fixed. Since 41A is rotated and long side 41C comes to face notch 24A and notch 34A, shaft 41 is engaged. By doing so, the bracket plate 20, the guide plate 30, and the swing member 40 are fixed together. In addition, when removing a thermal head, it can carry out by performing in the reverse procedure of the procedure fixed integrally.

It is a perspective view which shows the head attachment / detachment mechanism in the thermal printer of this invention. It is a side view which shows the state before a rocking | swiveling member is accommodated. It is a side view which shows the state immediately after a rocking | swiveling member is accommodated. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a shaft end portion in FIG. 3. It is a side view just after a lock arm was stored. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a shaft end portion in FIG. 5. It is a perspective view which shows the head attachment / detachment mechanism in the conventional thermal printer. It is a side view which shows the head attachment / detachment mechanism in the conventional thermal printer. It is a side view which shows the head attachment / detachment mechanism in the conventional thermal printer.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermal head 20 Bracket plate 22 Standing part 22A Oblique side part 22B Long side part 23 Bracket side board part 23A Lower end 23A
24 Round hole 24A Notch 25 Groove 30 Guide plate 31 Recessed part 31A Flat plate part 32 Guide side plate part 32A Lower end 32B Projection part 33 Pivot shaft 34 Round hole 34A Notch 35 E-shaped retaining ring 37 Lock arm 37A Locking part 40 Oscillation Member 40A Swing member side plate 41 Shaft 41A Shaft end 41B Short side 41C Long side 100 Thermal head mounting plate 100A Side plate 100B Holding pin 100C Notch 101 Rotating shaft 101A Annular groove 102 Press member 102A Side plate 102B Notch 103 Tension Spring

Claims (1)

A bracket plate with a line-type thermal head in which heating elements are arranged in the first direction of the width direction, and the bracket plate can be attached and detached in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on the bracket plate surface In a head attaching / detaching mechanism in a thermal printer provided with a guide plate to be attached to
A third vertically extending portion perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction of the bracket plate; a groove formed in the second direction of the vertical portion; The bracket plate can be attached to and detached from the guide plate by engaging with and disengaging from the flat plate portion formed in the first direction of the guide plate so as to come into contact, and both ends of the both plates in the first direction are respectively connected to the first plate. A guide side plate portion and a bracket side plate portion bent in a third downward direction orthogonal to the direction 1 and the second direction, and the outer surface sides of both bracket side plate portions are in sliding contact between the inner surfaces of the both guide side plate portions, When the groove and the flat plate portion come into contact with each other, the guide side plate portion and the bracket side plate portion have notches narrower than the diameter of the round hole in a part of the same shape round hole that penetrates the groove. Both guide side plates and the bracket side plates A pivot shaft that is pivotally supported in the first direction on both guide side plates, and a pivot member that is pivoted on the pivot shaft. The shaft is pivotally supported in parallel with the pivot shaft, and both ends of the shaft are pseudo-elliptical, and the width of the short side is opened at the lower ends of the guide side plate portions and the bracket side plate portions. A head attaching / detaching mechanism in a thermal printer, characterized in that it is narrower than the cutout and has a long side wider than the cutout and slightly narrower than the diameter of the round hole.

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