JP5140806B2 - Roll paper support mechanism - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is applicable to both a drop-in method in which roll paper wound in a roll shape is dropped into a storage unit, or a printer having a both-end support method in which roll paper is supported from both ends of the storage unit. The present invention relates to a roll paper support mechanism capable of printing.

  Conventionally, when roll paper with a label temporarily attached to a belt-like mount at a certain interval and wound in a roll or roll paper with a linerless label without a mount is stored in a printer and printed Depending on the application, either a drop-in system or a double-sided support system is adopted as a roll paper support mechanism. Here, the roll paper on which the label with the mount is wound is temporarily attached via an adhesive between the mount and the label. On the other hand, a roll paper wound with a linerless label without a mount is coated with an adhesive on the back side of a linerless label without a mount, and on the other hand, a release agent is coated on the surface. Does not adhere.

  Usually, since the storage portion of the printer can be simplified and can be easily stored, when using roll paper with a mount, many printers adopting a drop-in method are seen. Some printers can use roll paper with either the drop-in method or the double-sided support method. However, especially when using roll paper with linerless labels that do not have a mount, adhesive (glue) is used in the printer. In general, a double-sided support system is adopted because it dislikes the adhesion of the adhesive.

In practice, after printing with a printer that contains a linerless label roll paper that does not have a mount in a double-sided support system, it may be replaced with a roll paper with a mount and printed. In such a case, the roll paper support mechanism is often changed to the drop-in method for use. A printer that can cope with either the drop-in method or the both-end support method has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-335791 A

  In recent years, with the spread of linerless labels without a mount, the frequency of using a roll of linerless label instead of a roll with mount is increasing. The printer described in Patent Document 1 has a storage unit that stores a roll paper holder that holds the roll paper from both ends when the roll paper with a linerless label without a mount is used instead of a roll paper with a mount. The roll paper holder is housed in the holder holder and switched to the drop-in method.

  However, when the printer described in Patent Document 1 stores the roll paper holder in the holder holder, it must be engaged from the inside of the printer into which the roll paper is inserted, and the both-end support method is switched to the drop-in method. There was a problem that workability at the time was bad.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a roll paper support mechanism that can be easily switched to a drop-in system or a double-end support system when roll paper is stored in a printer.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the roll paper support mechanism according to claim 1 includes a pair of guide portions that sandwich the roll paper, and openings formed on opposing surfaces of the guide portions. In a roll paper support mechanism comprising a pair of support portions that support the roll paper while moving freely in and out of the opening, and biasing means biased so that the support projects from the opening, The support portion is engaged with the support portion so as to be held in the state of being accommodated in the opening portion or being protruded from the opening portion by the urging force of the urging means against the urging force of the urging means. A holding portion, and the support portion includes an extension portion formed so as to extend on the opposite surface of each opposing surface, and a step portion formed on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the extension portion. And the holding part is moved so that the extending part can be moved freely. And a step portion formed by rotating the holding portion, and a hollow portion formed so as to protrude inwardly at a part of an inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion. The protrusion is engaged .

Further, in order to solve the above problem, in the roll paper support mechanism according to claim 2 , the holding portion is provided on a surface opposite to the facing surface of the guide portion.

The roll paper support mechanism according to claim 1 is configured such that an opening is formed in each of the pair of guide parts for sandwiching the roll paper and an opposing surface of the guide part, and the roll paper moves freely in the opening. In the roll paper support mechanism comprising a pair of support portions that support the roll paper while the urging means is urged so that the support portion protrudes from the opening, the support portion is the urging means. A holding portion that engages with the support portion so as to be held in a state of being housed in the opening portion against the urging force by the urging force or in a state of protruding from the opening portion by the urging force of the urging means , The support part has an extension part formed so as to extend to the opposite surface of each opposing surface, and a step part formed on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the extension part, and the holding part is The hollow portion is formed so that the extending portion moves freely. And a projecting portion formed so as to project inwardly at a part of the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion, and the stepped portion and the projecting portion are engaged by rotating the holding portion. since the are, or exchange from the roll paper of the mount there is no liner-less labels to mount with roll paper, also, when replacing or mount with roll paper and vice versa on the roll paper of the mount there is no liner-less label, drop It is possible to easily switch to the in-system or the both-end support system.

Further, in the roll paper support mechanism according to claim 2 , since the holding portion is provided on the opposite surface of the opposing surface of the guide portion, the linerless label roll paper having no mount is changed to the roll paper with the mount. Easily switch from the outside of the roll paper support mechanism to the drop-in system or the double-sided support system when replacing or vice versa. Can do.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is a clamshell type label in which a roll paper in which a label is temporarily attached to a wound belt-like mount at a predetermined interval or a roll paper in which a linerless label without a mount is wound is stored. The printer will be described.

  FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing a state in which a cover of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is opened. In FIG. 1, the label printer 1 is mainly composed of a main body 2 and a cover 3. In addition, a handle 5 for carrying the label printer 1 is rotatably provided at substantially the center of the upper surface of the side frame 2 a of the main body 2. On the other hand, the cover 3 is pivotally mounted around a pivot 4 provided at the front part of the upper surface of the side frame 2a, and is rotated to the rear part (the side to issue a roll paper 16 to be described later) to rotate the side frame 2a. It is closed by engaging a pair of lock levers 12 provided at the rear of the upper surface of the.

  A thermal head 6 is attached to the inside of the cover 3 so as to be vertically extendable. Further, a platen roller 7 is rotatably provided at the rear portion of the upper surface of the side frame 2a, and the thermal head 6 is elastically contacted with the platen roller 7 when the cover 3 is closed. On the other hand, the platen roller 7 is rotationally driven by a stepping motor (not shown) via a transmission device, and the thermal head 6 is applied with a control signal generated by a control unit (not shown). .

  The roll paper 16 is sandwiched between the thermal head 6 and the platen roller 7, a control signal is applied to the thermal head 6, and the roll paper 16 is issued while being printed as the platen roller 7 is driven to rotate. As described above, the thermal head 6 and the platen roller 7 constitute a printing unit. A peeling frame 8 is disposed on the upper surface of the side frame 2a behind the platen roller 7 with a little space from the platen roller 7, and when the roll paper 16 is peeled and issued from the mount, the mount is bent at an acute angle. Remove the label from the backing.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the roll paper storage unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. That is, FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a state in which the roll paper storage unit 17 included as a unit in the front part of the main body 2 shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, a rack 14 (the upper rack is hidden and cannot be seen) meshes with the top and bottom of the pinion 13 provided substantially at the center of the back frame 17 a of the roll paper storage unit 17, and moves in the width direction of the label printer 1. It moves symmetrically in a symmetrical manner. In this way, the pinion 13 and the rack 14 constitute a positioning mechanism for the roll paper 16 in the width direction of the label printer 1. In addition, a pair of guide frames 9b, which will be described later, are attached to the upper and lower racks 14 and interlocked together so that the label printer 1 moves in a laterally symmetrical manner from the center in the width direction.

  A guide lock 18 that locks the positioning mechanism is provided on the upper rear surface of the guide frame 9b on the upper rear surface of a pair of guide frames 9b described later. Further, when the guide lock 18 is locked to a saw tooth (not shown) provided in the main body, the guide lock 18 is positioned, and when the lock is released, the respective guide portions 9 are moved in a symmetrical manner in a left-right manner.

  3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, (a) is a cross-sectional view before the roll paper abuts against the opposing surface of the support portion, and (b) is the roll paper. Is a cross-sectional view in contact with the opposing surface of the support portion, and FIG. (C) is a cross-sectional view in a state where the support portion and the holding portion are engaged and the roll paper is dropped into the roll paper storage portion. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the support unit and the holding unit of the roll paper storage unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4A is a diagram before the support unit and the holding unit are engaged. It is a cross-sectional enlarged view, Comprising: (b) figure is a cross-sectional enlarged view of the state in which the support part and the holding | maintenance part were engaged. 4A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part before the roll paper of FIG. 3B abuts against the opposing surface of the support portion and the support portion and the holding portion are engaged. FIG. 4B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in a state where the support portion and the holding portion of FIG. 3C are engaged. FIG. 5 is a side view of the holding unit of the roll paper storage unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 (a) is a view taken along the line BB in FIG. b) The figure is a CC arrow view in (b) figure of FIG.

  3 to 5, a roll paper 16 in which a label is temporarily attached to a belt-like mount at a predetermined interval and is wound around a paper tube 16 a in a roll shape or a linerless label without a mount is wound. A pair of guides 9a for guiding the guides are pivotally attached to the guide frames 9b so as to face each other. Further, guide panels 9c are fitted to the other surfaces of the guide frames 9b. In this way, a pair of guide portions 9 are formed in the width direction (left and right) from the guide 9a, the guide frame 9b, and the guide panel 9c. Concave surfaces 9d are formed on the opposing surfaces of these guide portions 9, and a head portion 10a described later moves slidably in the width direction. On the other hand, a through hole is provided in the center of these guide panels 9c, and an extension 10b and a collet 10c, which will be described later, are slidably moved. On the other hand, holding portions 11 are pivotally attached to the other surfaces of the respective guide panels 9c.

  The pair of support portions 10 for supporting the roll paper 16 are provided integrally with a pair of head portions 10a formed in a crown shape in which the opposite front end portions are hollow, and inward of the respective head portions 10a. The cylindrical extending portions 10b extending in the axial direction, and further, three collets 10c extend from each extending portion 10b at an equal angle in the circumferential direction. The engaging portion 10d protrudes outward in the normal direction of the tip portion.

  In the central part of each holding part 11, three through holes 11b and three protruding parts 11a protruding inward are formed alternately at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In addition, each engaging portion 10d moves slidably into each through hole 11b.

  There is a stepped portion 10f that is slightly lower than the outer peripheral surface over the substantially central portion of the outer peripheral surface of each extending portion 10b and collet 10c. Each support portion 10 is formed with a tapered portion 10e at the opposing peripheral edge, so that the roll paper 16 having the paper tube 16a can be easily attached and detached up and down. Thus, a roll paper support mechanism is mainly constituted by the pair of guide portions 9, the pair of support portions 10 and the pair of holding portions 11. On the other hand, the coil springs 15 are urged between the respective guide panels 9c and the respective support portions 10, and the respective support portions 10 project from the respective recesses 9d by the urging force of the respective coil springs 15, and the respective engagement portions. 10d is restrained by contacting each guide panel 9c.

  First, a roll paper support mechanism for storing the roll paper 16 in the roll paper storage unit 17 by the drop-in method will be described. 3, 4, and 5, when the roll paper 16 is stored in the roll paper storage portion 17 from above, the peripheral portion in the width direction of the roll paper 16 starts to come into contact with the tapered portions 10 e of the respective support portions 10. Then, each support portion 10 starts to be accommodated in the recess 9 d against the urging force of the coil spring 15. Further, when the roll paper 16 is stored downward, the roll paper 16 begins to come into sliding contact with the opposing surface 10g of each support portion 10, and each support portion 10 is fully stored behind the recess 9d against the urging force of the coil spring 15. The This state is shown in FIG. 3 (b) and FIG. 4 (a).

  Then, when the respective holding portions 11 are rotated in the clockwise direction, the three protruding portions 11a are rotated and engaged with the three step portions 10f. This state is shown in FIG. 3 (c) and FIG. 4 (b). Moreover, since the front edge of the protrusion part 11a is formed in the some taper shape, the protrusion part 11a is easily engaged with the level | step-difference part 10f. Accordingly, since each of the support portions 10 is held in a state where all the support portions 10 are stored in the recesses 9d, the roll paper 16 can be dropped into the roll paper storage portion 17.

  Next, a roll paper support mechanism for storing the roll paper 16 in the roll paper storage unit 17 by the both-end support method will be described. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views of the both-end support mechanism of the roll paper storage unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view before storing the roll paper, and FIG. FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view in which the roll paper is in contact with the opposing surface of the support portion, and FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view in which the roll paper is held by the both-end support mechanism. Further, when the roll paper 16 is stored in the roll paper storage unit 17 by the both-end support method, it is necessary to release the engagement between the support unit and the holding unit by the drop-in method.

  In FIG. 6, when the roll paper 16 is stored in the roll paper storage portion 17 from above, the peripheral portion in the width direction of the roll paper 16 starts to come into contact with the tapered portions 10 e of the pair of support portions 10. Then, each support portion 10 starts to be accommodated in the recess 9 d against the urging force of the coil spring 15. Further, when the roll paper 16 is stored downward, the roll paper 16 starts to be brought into sliding contact with the opposing surface 10g of each support portion 10, and each support portion 10 is fully stored behind the recess 9d against the biasing force of the coil spring 15. .

  Further, when the roll paper 16 is stored downward and the support portions 10 are located in the paper tubes 16a, the support portions 10 are protruded from the recesses 9d by the urging force of the coil springs 15. Thus, the roll paper 16 is reliably supported from both ends.

  In the present embodiment, when the roll paper 16 is printed by the drop-in method, the pair of support portions 10 and the pair of holding portions 11 are engaged, and the respective support portions 10 are recessed 9 d of the respective guide portions 9. The roll paper support mechanism of the label printer when housed in the printer is described. However, when the roll paper 16 is printed by the both-end support method, the pair of support portions 10 protrude from the recesses 9d of the respective guide portions 9. The present invention can also be applied to a roll paper support mechanism of a label printer that can print while being held in a state.

  Although the roll paper support mechanism of the clamshell type label printer has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be widely applied as a roll paper support mechanism for other printing apparatuses or apparatuses for storing roll paper. Can do. Further, in the present embodiment, the case where each support portion and the holding portion are engaged at three positions has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an engagement portion can be provided as appropriate.

1 is an overall perspective view showing a state in which a cover of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is opened. It is a perspective view of the roll paper storage part which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is arrow AA sectional drawing in FIG. 2, Comprising: (a) A figure is sectional drawing before roll paper contact | abuts the opposing surface of a support part, (b) A figure is roll paper of a support part. FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view in which the support portion and the holding portion are engaged and the roll paper is dropped into the roll paper storage portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a principal part cross-sectional enlarged view of the support part and holding | maintenance part of the roll paper storage part which concerns on embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) The figure is a cross-sectional enlarged view before a support part and a holding | maintenance part are engaged. FIG. 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the state in which the support portion and the holding portion are engaged. It is a side view of the holding | maintenance part of the roll paper storage part which concerns on embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) A figure is a BB arrow line view in (a) figure of FIG. 4, (b) figure. FIG. 5 is a CC arrow view in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the both-ends support mechanism of the roll paper accommodating part which concerns on embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) A figure is sectional drawing before accommodating roll paper, (b) The figure shows roll paper. FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view in which the roll paper is held by the both-end support mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Label printer 2 Main body 2a Side frame 3 Cover 4 Pivot 5 Handle 6 Thermal head 7 Platen roller 8 Peeling frame 9 Guide part 9a Guide 9b Guide frame 9c Guide panel 9d Recess 10 Support part 10a Head part 10b Extension part 10c Collet 10d Joint portion 10e Tapered portion 10f Step portion 10g Opposing surface 11 Holding portion 11a Protruding portion 11b Through hole 12 Lock lever 13 Pinion 14 Rack 15 Coil spring 16 Roll paper 16a Paper tube 17 Roll paper storage portion 17a Back frame 18 Guide lock

Claims (2)

A pair of guide portions for sandwiching the roll paper, an opening portion is formed on each of the opposed surfaces of the guide portion, a pair of support portions for supporting the roll paper while moving in and out of the opening portion, In a roll paper support mechanism comprising a biasing means biased so that a support portion protrudes from the opening,
The support portion is engaged with the support portion so as to be held in the state of being accommodated in the opening portion or being protruded from the opening portion by the urging force of the urging means against the urging force of the urging means. A holding portion, and the support portion includes an extension portion formed so as to extend on the opposite surface of each opposing surface, and a step portion formed on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the extension portion. And the holding portion includes a hollow portion formed so that the extending portion can freely move in and out, and a protrusion formed so as to protrude inward at a part of the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion. A roll paper support mechanism , wherein the step portion and the protrusion are engaged by rotating the holding portion . The roll paper support mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the holding portion is provided on a surface opposite to the facing surface of the guide portion .