JP6966219B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printer having a storage portion for printing paper.

Conventionally, a thermal printer that prints by pressing a thermal head while transporting thermal paper is well known. Further, in order to improve convenience, a portable thermal printer, which is miniaturized so that such a thermal printer can be carried around, has been conventionally developed.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer device that enables observation of paper information of the printer device and an operating state of the printer.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-160238

By the way, a thermal printer such as the printer described in Patent Document 1 described above can be packaged when a plurality of sheets of thermal paper are stored, a plurality of sheets of paper are automatically fed, and a plurality of sheets are continuously printed. The enclosed paper is stored in a predetermined orientation.

However, when detecting the orientation of the package in which the paper is enclosed, the orientation in which the paper is actually enclosed cannot be detected.

The printer according to the present invention includes a printing mechanism unit having a print head, a paper storage unit for storing printing paper, a transport means for transporting the printing paper from the paper storage unit to the printing mechanism unit, and the paper storage unit. A plurality of reflective sensors having a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit arranged in the printing paper, and by detecting a plurality of marks formed in different patterns on different types of printing paper, the type of the printing paper. or a lid having a sensor of the plurality of reflection type for detecting the state of the printing paper, a paper pressing unit of the printing paper housed pressed toward the reflective type sensor in the sheet storing section, wherein The lid portion includes a presser spring provided at the downstream end of the transport means in the transport direction, and the paper presser portion is on the upstream side of the presser spring in the transport direction with respect to the reflective sensor. It is characterized in that it is provided at a position shifted in the plane direction of the printing paper.

According to the present invention, it is possible to detect the orientation of the paper itself stored in the paper storage unit, and it is possible to perform appropriate printing control according to the paper.

The external perspective view of the mobile thermal printer of one Embodiment of this invention. The external perspective view of the mobile thermal printer of one Embodiment of this invention. The figure explaining the function which displays the state of the mobile thermal printer by LED. The figure explaining the function which displays the state of the mobile thermal printer by LED. The figure explaining the function which displays the state of the mobile thermal printer by LED. A side view of the mobile thermal printer of one embodiment. Side sectional view showing the internal structure of a mobile thermal printer. A perspective view showing a state in which the lid portion is opened with respect to the main body portion. Front view and side sectional view of the lid portion as viewed from the back surface. The figure which shows the type of thermal paper. The figure which summarized the combination of the output signal of a paper detection sensor and the state of a paper. A partially enlarged perspective view showing the structure of a remaining amount indicator that displays the remaining amount of unused thermal paper, which is arranged in a small window. FIG. 12 is a side view schematically showing the structure of the remaining amount indicator when viewed from the direction of arrow F.

Hereinafter, a mobile thermal printer, which is an embodiment of the printer of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 are external perspective views of the mobile thermal printer of the present embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the removable output tray that receives the printed paper ejected from the printer is removed. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the output tray is attached.

In FIG. 1, the mobile thermal printer 2 has a main body 4 which is a thin rectangular parallelepiped housing made of a metal such as aluminum or a synthetic resin, and a hinge portion arranged near the end of the main body 4. It has a lid portion 8 also made of metal, synthetic resin, or the like, which is supported by 6 so as to be openable and closable in the direction of arrow A. The main body 4 has a built-in paper accommodating portion 4a capable of accommodating a plurality of heat-sensitive papers (printing papers) for printing such as A6 size, a heat-sensitive paper conveying mechanism and a thermal head (printing head) described later. The printing mechanism unit 4b is provided. A plurality of sheets of thermal paper (for example, about 50 sheets) can be stacked and inserted into the paper storage unit 4a by opening the lid portion 8 in the direction of the arrow A. A plurality of sheets of thermal paper arranged so as to be stacked on the paper storage unit 4a are supplied to the printing mechanism unit 4b one by one from the bottom of the stack by a paper feed roller 56, which will be described later. The supplied thermal paper is printed by being conveyed by a platen roller while the thermal head is pressure-welded in the printing mechanism portion 4b, and is a paper ejection port which is a gap between the tip portion of the lid portion 8 and the printing mechanism portion 4b. The paper is discharged from 4c to the outside of the mobile thermal printer 2, specifically, on the upper surface of the lid portion 8.

As shown in FIG. 2, a paper ejection tray 12 for receiving the printed paper ejected from the printer can be detachably mounted on the lid 8 of the mobile thermal printer 2. The output tray 12 has a pair of elastic arm portions 12a that function as hinges, the main body portion 4 is sandwiched between the pair of arm portions 12a, and the protrusions 12b formed inside the arm portions 12a are formed on the main body portion 4. It is attached to the main body 4 by fitting it into a hole formed on the side surface on the rear end side. The output tray 12 can be opened and closed in the direction of the arrow B with respect to the main body 4 by this hinge. Further, the paper ejection tray 12 can be opened and closed integrally together with the lid portion 8, and the lid portion 8 can be opened to replenish the heat-sensitive paper to the paper storage portion 4a without removing the paper ejection tray 12. The rear end portion 16d near the center of rotation of the output tray 12 abuts on the rear end portion of the main body 4 of the printer when the output tray 12 is opened. In the output tray 12 of the other embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the regulation wall 14b and the rear end portion 16d are close to each other. In this case, the output tray 12 rotates with the protrusion 12b as a hinge and wraps around the back side of the main body 4 (the back side of the paper surface in FIG. 2), but the rear end portion 16d is separated from the regulation wall 14b as shown in FIG. By providing the paper output tray 12 at a vertical position, the output tray 12 is regulated so as not to open more than a predetermined angle by abutting against the rear end portion of the main body 4 of the printer. This prevents the user from pinching a finger or the like between the output tray 12 and the main body 4.

Further, the output tray 12 is placed on the lid 8 to receive the printed paper on the lower tray (lower tray portion) 14 and the upper side covering the paper ejected on the lower tray 14 from above. It has a tray 16. When the elastic claw 16a formed on the upper tray 16 is caught on the main body 4, the paper ejection tray 12 comes into contact with the main body 4 and is held so as not to move in the direction of arrow B.

Further, the upper tray 16 is formed with a U-shaped recess 16b so that the user can easily take out the ejected printed paper with a finger. On the other hand, the lower tray 14 is formed with an opening 14a at a position (front side in the paper ejection direction) corresponding to the recess 16b of the upper tray 16. When the user presses the position corresponding to this opening 14a of the printed paper placed on the lower tray 14 from above with a finger, the upper end of the paper in the drawing is lifted from the lower tray 14. The user can easily take out the printed paper from the output tray 12. The upper tray 16 is formed with a relief portion 16C that serves as a path for the paper so that the user can take out the paper by pinching the edge of the paper that has been lifted at this time. Further, a regulating wall (regulating portion) 14b for regulating the position of the tip portion of the ejected paper is formed at the tip portion of the lower tray 14. The regulation wall 14b is in the middle of ejecting the ejected paper so that the rear end portion of the ejected printed paper remains sandwiched between the platen roller 58 and the thermal head 60, which will be described later. Regulate by position. By keeping the rear end of the paper sandwiched between the platen roller 58 and the thermal head 60 in this way, it is possible to prevent the printed paper from being inadvertently dropped from the mobile thermal printer 2. can. The regulation walls 14b are provided only at both ends in the paper transport direction, and the central portion at the tip of the ejected paper is open. Therefore, the user can pick up the paper and take it out, but the recess 16b makes it easier to take out the paper. In addition, the presence of the opening 14a makes it easier to take out.

A small window (window portion) 18 in which a transparent plastic plate or the like is fitted is formed in the central portion of the lid portion 8 at a position close to the hinge 6. The user can look into the inside of the paper storage unit 4a from the small window 18 (visible), and can visually check the remaining number of unused thermal papers. Further, in the small window 18 (inside the window portion), a remaining amount indicator for displaying the remaining amount of unused thermal paper stored in the paper storage portion 4a is built-in. Specifically, when there is a sufficient number of thermal papers in the paper storage unit 4a, the yellow index member inside cannot be seen from the small window 18, and the index member gradually becomes smaller as the number of sheets decreases. You will be able to see it within 18. Therefore, the user can directly see and confirm the remaining amount of the unused thermal paper by looking at the small window 18, and can also check by looking at the index member of the remaining amount indicator. The detailed configuration of the remaining amount indicator will be described later.

Further, three LEDs 20a, 20b, and 20c are arranged at positions close to the small window 18 of the main body 4. These LEDs have a function of displaying the operating state of the mobile thermal printer 2. 3 to 5 are diagrams illustrating a function of displaying the state of the mobile thermal printer 2 by these LEDs.

First, in FIG. 3, the LED 20a has a function of displaying the state of the power supply of the mobile thermal printer 2. Specifically, when the LED 20a is lit in blue, it indicates that the printer is in the sleep state or is printing. When the LED 20a is blinking blue, it indicates a sleep state and a low battery level. Further, when the LED 20a is turned off, it indicates that it is in the standby state.

In FIG. 4, the LED 20b has a function of displaying the state of the operation mode of the mobile thermal printer 2. Specifically, when the LED 20b is lit in blue, it indicates a reception standby state by Bluetooth (registered trademark). When the LED 20b is blinking blue, it indicates the state during communication by Bluetooth. When the LED 20b is lit in green, it indicates a USB reception standby state. When the LED 20b is blinking green, it indicates the state during communication by USB. If the LED 20b is blinking red, it indicates an error state.

In FIG. 5, the LED 20c has a function of displaying the charging state of the mobile thermal printer 2. Specifically, when the LED 20c is off, it indicates that charging is stopped. When the LED 20c is blinking orange, it indicates a charging error state. When the LED 20c is lit in green, it indicates a charging complete state. Further, when the LED 20c is lit in orange, it indicates that charging is in progress.

The light guide members of the LEDs 20a, 20b, and 20c are exposed on the small window 18 side, and the light leaking from the exposed portion illuminates the small window 18. Therefore, the user can see the remaining amount of the thermal paper in the small window 18 and the indicator for displaying the remaining amount even in a dark place.

Next, FIG. 6 is a side view of the mobile thermal printer 2. In FIG. 6, a power button 22, a USB terminal 24, a charging terminal 26, and an opening / closing lever 28 of the lid 8 are arranged on the side surface of the main body 4 of the mobile thermal printer 2. The user can easily open the lid portion 8 from the main body portion 4 with one hand by operating the opening / closing lever 28 in the direction of the arrow C. When the opening / closing lever 28 is operated in the direction of the arrow C, the lid portion 8 is unlocked and the lid portion 8 is lifted from the main body portion 4 by the paper holding spring 9 shown in FIG. A large number of dimples are formed on the side surface of the main body 4, so that the user does not slip easily when holding the body.

Next, FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing the internal structure of the mobile thermal printer 2. FIG. 7A shows a state in which the output tray 12 is removed, and FIG. 7B shows a state in which the output tray 12 is attached. The paper ejection tray 12 in FIG. 7 is another embodiment in which the rear end portion 16d is close to the regulation wall 14b with respect to the paper ejection tray 12 shown in FIG. 2 and the regulation wall 14b is formed in a flat plate shape. Is shown.

As described above in FIG. 7A, the paper storage unit 4a of the main body 4 is configured to be capable of stacking and storing a plurality of thermal papers S. By opening the lid portion 8 in the direction of the arrow A, the user can store, for example, about 50 sheets of thermal paper S having a size of, for example, A6 in the paper storage portion 4a. A rechargeable battery 52 as a power source, a circuit board 54 on which a power supply circuit, a control circuit, and the like are mounted are arranged below the paper storage unit 4a. A paper feed roller 56 for feeding the thermal paper S is arranged at the lower part on the right side in the drawing of the paper storage unit 4a, and the thermal paper S is overlapped by the rotation and frictional force of the paper feed roller 56 from the bottom 1 It is separated and sent one by one.

A platen roller 58 is arranged on the downstream side of the paper feed roller 56 in the paper transport direction, and the thermal paper S fed to the platen roller 58 has a transport direction of about 180 by the platen guide 59 arranged around the platen roller 58. It is inverted. Further, the platen roller 58 is arranged so that the thermal head 60 is in pressure contact with the platen roller 58, and printing is performed by heating the thermal head 60 with the thermal paper S sandwiched between the platen roller 58 and the platen roller 58. In the present embodiment, printing is performed on the lower side surface of the thermal paper placed on the paper storage unit 4a. As described above, the printed thermal paper S is discharged from the paper ejection port 4c formed between the lid portion 8 and the printing mechanism portion 4b.

In the mobile thermal printer 2 configured in this way, the thermal paper S stacked on the paper storage unit 4a is supplied one by one from the bottom paper by the friction of the paper feed roller 56, which is indicated by an arrow D. It is delivered in the sending direction. The fed thermal paper S is further supplied to the platen roller 58, and the transport direction is reversed by about 180 degrees by the platen roller 58 and the platen guide 59 as shown by an arrow E. The thermal head 60 is pressure-welded and heated on the inverted thermal paper S for printing. The printed thermal paper S is further conveyed by the platen roller 58 and discharged to the outside of the thermal printer from the paper ejection port 4c.

At this time, if the mobile thermal printer 2 is equipped with the output tray 12 as shown in FIG. 7B, the ejected printed thermal paper S is stored in the output tray 12. .. Then, the tip Sa of the discharged printed thermal paper S hits the regulation wall 14b of the lower tray 14, and the rear end Sb of the printed thermal paper S is sandwiched between the platen roller 58 and the thermal head 60. Stop in the state of As a result, it is possible to prevent the printed paper from being inadvertently dropped from the mobile thermal printer 2. Further, as described in FIG. 2, an opening 14a is formed in the lower tray 14, and as shown in FIG. 7B, the user uses his / her finger F to press the portion of the printed paper overlapped on the opening 14a. By pushing it downward, the tip Sa of the paper is lifted from the lower tray 14, and the paper can be easily taken out.

As shown in FIG. 7, an urging member 61 is provided to urge the paper pulled out between the thermal head 60 and the platen roller 58 on the back surface side of the main body 4. The urging member 61 is made of a sheet material, whereby the rear end of the paper is urged toward the platen roller 58, and the leading end of the subsequent paper comes out from between the thermal head 60 and the platen roller 58. It is easier to get on the upper side of the rear edge of the preceding paper, and even if the rear edge of the preceding paper is curled, the jam caused by the front edge of the following paper colliding with the rear edge of the preceding paper. Occurrence is reduced.

Next, FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lid portion 8 is opened with respect to the main body portion 4.

The paper storage unit 4a of the main body 4 is configured to be capable of stacking and storing a plurality of sheets of thermal paper S, and the type of thermal paper S and the presence or absence of the thermal paper S are indicated at both ends in the width direction of the paper mounting portion. Three paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c for identification are arranged. Further, a lifting lever 46 is arranged at a position on the left side of the drawing of the paper storage unit. By pushing down the operation portion 46a of the lifting lever 46, the paper lifting portion 46b is lifted by the movement of the seesaw, and the tip portion of the thermal paper S is lifted. This makes it easier to take out the thermal paper S when it becomes necessary to take out the printing paper from the printer.

The paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c are reflection-type sensors having a light emitting unit that emits light and a light receiving unit that receives the light reflected by the thermal paper S. Then, the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c output a signal of "1" or "0" depending on whether or not the intensity of the received reflected light is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value. More specifically, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 10, black square marks m1 to m4 are printed on the thermal paper S at different positions depending on the type. When the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, 42c face the black marks m1 to m4, the reflected light becomes less than a predetermined threshold value, and the paper detection sensor outputs a signal of "0". Further, when the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, 42c face the normal white surface of the thermal paper on which the black mark is not printed, the reflected light becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value, and the paper detection sensor is set to "1. Is output. The details of paper detection will be described later.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the lid portion 8 has a honeycomb structure 8a so that the strength can be maintained even if the lid portion 8 is thin. The lid portion 8 is composed of an inner lid 8b and an outer lid 8c, and the honeycomb structure 8a is provided on the outer lid 8c side (opposite side of the paper storage portion 4a when the lid portion 8 is closed) in the inner lid 8b. In FIG. 8, the inner lid 8b is provided on the back side of the paper surface. Paper holders 44a and 44b for elastically holding the thermal paper S placed on the paper storage portion 4a are arranged at both ends of the lid portion 8 in the width direction. The paper retainers 44a and 44b are arranged mainly for the purpose of suppressing the thermal paper S from floating on the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b and 42c to cause erroneous detection. Therefore, it is preferable to press the thermal paper S at a position close to the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, 42c. If the heat-sensitive paper S is pressed too much, the paper retainers 44a and 44b become resistances when the paper is conveyed by the paper feed roller 56. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9B, in order to suppress the deterioration of the transfer performance. In addition, when only a few sheets of the thermal paper S remain, they are arranged with a gap that does not hold the thermal paper. However, for example, when there is no heat-sensitive paper S in the paper storage portion 4a, if the paper retainers 44a, 44b are arranged directly above the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, 42c, the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, It is conceivable that the 42c detects the reflected light of the paper holders 44a and 44b, and erroneously detects that there is thermal paper. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b), which are a front view and a side sectional view of the lid portion 8 as viewed from the back surface, the paper retainers 44a and 44b are close to the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b and 42c. It is arranged at a position slightly deviated from the position in the transport direction (planar direction) of the thermal paper. Further, if the positions of the paper retainers 44a and 44b are deviated from each other on the left and right sides of the lid 8 with respect to the transport direction of the thermal paper S, it may cause the thermal paper S to be transported diagonally when it is transported by the paper feed roller 56. Become. Therefore, they are arranged at the same position on the left and right with respect to the transport direction.

Next, a method of discriminating the type and state of the thermal paper by the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c will be described.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the types of thermal paper. In the mobile thermal printer of the present embodiment, as the thermal paper, ordinary thermal paper, perforated cut paper used for slips, etc., and paper coated with heat-sensitive carbon ink on the back surface are thermally transferred. It is assumed that three types of thermal paper, which are copy paper that has become leaves, will be used. However, as will be described later, it is possible to further increase the types of paper.

To explain the outline of determining the type of paper, black square marks are printed on the back surface or the front surface of each thermal paper, and the number and printing positions of the black square marks differ depending on the type of paper. As described above, the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c are reflective sensors having a light emitting portion that emits light and a light receiving portion that receives the light reflected by the heat-sensitive paper S, and have a black square mark. When facing each other, a signal of "0" is output because there is little reflected light, and when facing a normal white surface of heat-sensitive paper without a black square mark, a signal of "1" is output because there is a lot of reflected light. .. Therefore, the combination of the "1" and "0" signals output by the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c differs depending on the type of thermal paper. This makes it possible to detect the type of thermal paper and the presence or absence thereof.

First, the arrangement of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c will be described with reference to FIG. 10 (g), which is a plan view schematically showing the paper storage portion 4a of FIG. 8 when viewed from above. In FIG. 10 (g), the paper detection sensor 42a has a center line CL at the right end of the paper storage unit 4a and at the center of the paper storage unit 4a in the longitudinal direction, assuming that the heat-sensitive paper is conveyed in the lower direction in the drawing. It is located at a distance d above. Further, the paper detection sensor 42c is arranged at the left end of the paper storage unit 4a and at a distance d below the center line CL at the center of the paper storage unit 4a in the longitudinal direction. That is, the paper detection sensor 42a and the paper detection sensor 42c are arranged at point-symmetrical positions with respect to the center point C of the center line CL (the intersection of the center line CL and the center line in the width direction). Further, the paper detection sensor 42b is arranged at the left end of the paper storage portion 4a and between the center line CL and the paper detection sensor 42c. Then, the combination of "1" and "0" of these three sensors makes it possible to discriminate eight types of thermal paper states.

Next, the mark printed on the thermal paper will be described.

First, in the normal thermal paper S1, as shown in FIG. 10A, no black square mark is printed on the front surface to be printed, and two black square marks m1 and m2 are printed on the back surface. , The arrow ma indicating the transport direction of the thermal paper is printed. One mark m1 is printed at the left end portion of the back surface of the thermal paper S1 in the drawing at a position above the center line CL in the longitudinal direction of the thermal paper by a distance d. The other mark m2 is printed at the right end of the back surface of the thermal paper S1 in the drawing at a position below the center line CL in the longitudinal direction of the thermal paper by a distance d. That is, the mark m1 and the mark m2 are printed at positions symmetrical with respect to the center point C (the center point of the entire paper) of the center line CL.

When the normal heat-sensitive paper S1 on which the mark is printed in this way is correctly stored in the paper storage unit 4a, the state in which the paper is stored in the paper storage unit 4a is viewed from above and is placed on the surface facing the paper detection sensor. As shown in the left side view of FIG. 10B, which is a plan view showing the printed mark transparently, the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c all face the white printed surface of the heat-sensitive paper S1. Become. Therefore, the combination of the output signals of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c is (1,1,1). On the other hand, even when the normal thermal paper S1 is inserted in the opposite direction in the transport direction, all of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c face the white printed surface of the thermal paper S1, and the combination of output signals is different. , (1,1,1). That is, if the signal of (1,1,1) is output from the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, 42c, it can be determined that the normal thermal paper S1 is correctly inserted on the front and back sides.

If it can be determined that the front and back sides have been correctly inserted into the normal thermal paper S1, that is, if the output signal is (1,1,1), printing on the thermal paper S1 should be executed according to the printing instruction. Is controlled by.

On the other hand, for example, when the thermal paper S1 is stored upside down in the paper storage unit 4a (the back side is stored downward), the paper detection sensor 42a faces the mark m1 as shown in the right figure of FIG. 10B. Then, the paper detection sensor 42b faces the white back surface of the thermal paper, and the paper detection sensor 42c faces the mark m2. Therefore, the combination of the output signals of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c is (0,1,0). That is, if the signal (0,1,0) is output from the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, 42c, it can be determined that the thermal paper is inserted upside down. Since the mark m1 and the mark m2 are printed at positions symmetrical with respect to the point C in the center of the paper, even if the thermal paper S1 is inserted upside down and in the reverse direction, the mark m1 and the mark m2 Only the position of m2 is exchanged, and the state is the same as that of the right side of FIG. 10B. Therefore, the paper detection sensor outputs a signal (0, 1, 0) in the same manner as when the front and back sides are simply inserted upside down.

At this time, even if the thermal paper S1 is inserted upside down, the normal thermal paper S1 can execute the printing itself, so that the printing may be controlled to be executed in response to the printing instruction, and at the same time. , The user may be notified that the paper is inserted upside down by some means of notification. On the other hand, it may be controlled so that printing is not executed when it is determined that the front and back sides are inserted in reverse for reasons such as the presence of a mark on the printed surface.

Next, in the thermal paper S2 of the cut paper type used for slips and the like, as shown in FIG. 10 (c), the surface on which printing is performed has a center line in the longitudinal direction of the thermal paper at the right end in the drawing. A black square mark m3 with a length straddling the two paper detection sensors is printed at a position slightly below the CL. Further, on the back surface, the same black square marks m1 and m2 as those of the normal thermal paper S1 are printed.

When the heat-sensitive paper S2 of the cut paper type on which the mark is printed in this way is correctly stored in the paper storage unit 4a, the side facing the paper detection sensor when the state in which the paper is stored in the paper storage unit 4a is viewed from above. The state is as shown in the left side of FIG. 10D, which is a plan view transparently showing the mark printed on the surface of. Therefore, the paper detection sensor 42a faces the white printed surface of the thermal paper S2, and both the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c face the mark m3. Therefore, the combination of the output signals of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c is (1,0,0). That is, if the signal (1,0,0) is output from the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, 42c, it can be determined that the cut paper type thermal paper S2 is correctly inserted.

On the other hand, when the thermal paper S2 is correctly stored on the front and back sides and is stored in the paper storage unit 4a in the opposite direction in the transport direction, the mark m3 comes to a position point-symmetrical with respect to the center C of the paper in FIG. 10 (d). The paper detection sensor 42a faces the mark m3, and the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c face the white printed surface of the thermal paper. Therefore, the combination of the output signals of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c is (0,1,1).

In the thermal paper S2, when the paper is stored in the paper storage unit 4a in the opposite direction with respect to the transport direction, printing is not permitted even if a printing instruction is given, and the paper is controlled so as not to be transported. This is because, in the case of printing on the cut paper as shown in FIG. 10, the content to be printed on the cut portion needs to be printed in the correct orientation.

Further, when the thermal paper S2 is stored upside down in the paper storage unit 4a (when the back side is stored downward), the markings on the back surface of the thermal paper S2 are arranged in the same manner as the normal thermal paper S1, so that the thermal paper S2 is heat sensitive. Similar to the case where the paper S1 is inserted upside down, the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c output a signal (0,1,0) regardless of whether the paper S1 is forward or reverse with respect to the transport direction.

Next, in the thermal paper S3 of the type of copy paper that has become two sheets and one leaf, such as carbon copy paper, as shown in FIG. 10 (e), the right end portion in the drawing is on the surface on which printing is performed. A black square mark m4 having a length corresponding to one paper detection sensor is printed at a position below the center line CL in the longitudinal direction of the thermal paper by a distance d. Further, on the back surface, the same black square marks m1 and m2 as those of the normal thermal paper S1 are printed.

When the copy paper type thermal paper S3 on which the mark is printed in this way is correctly stored in the paper storage unit 4a, the side facing the paper detection sensor when the state in which the paper is stored in the paper storage unit 4a is viewed from above. The state is as shown in the figure on the left side of FIG. 10 (f), which is a plan view transparently showing the mark printed on the surface of. Therefore, the paper detection sensors 42a and 42b face the white printed surface of the thermal paper S3, and the paper detection sensor 42c faces the mark m4. Therefore, the combination of the output signals of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c is (1,1,0). That is, if the signals (1,1,0) are output from the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, 42c, it can be determined that the copy paper type thermal paper S3 is correctly inserted.

In the thermal paper S3, when the paper is stored in the paper storage unit 4a in the opposite direction with respect to the transport direction, printing is not permitted even if a printing instruction is given, and the paper is controlled so as not to be transported. This is because when the thermal paper S3 is fixed only on one side in the transport direction by gluing or the like and the other side is not fixed, when the paper is stored in the opposite direction in the transport direction, the paper is transported. This is because a paper jam occurs.

On the other hand, when the thermal paper S3 is correctly stored on the front and back sides and is stored in the paper storage unit 4a in the opposite direction in the transport direction, the mark m4 is located at a point-symmetrical position with respect to the center of the paper in FIG. 10 (f). The detection sensor 42a faces the mark m4, and the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c face the white printed surface of the thermal paper. Therefore, the combination of the output signals of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c is (0,1,1). In the case of copy paper type thermal paper, if the two sheets of paper are not supplied to the platen roller 58 so that the bound side comes first, it may cause a paper jam, so the forward and reverse of the transport direction is determined. What you can do is important.

Further, when the thermal paper S3 is stored upside down in the paper storage unit 4a (when the back side is stored downward), the marks on the back surface of the thermal paper S3 are arranged in the same manner as the thermal papers S1 and S2. Similar to the case where the papers S1 and S2 are inserted upside down, the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c output a signal (0,1,0) regardless of whether the papers are forward or reverse with respect to the transport direction.

FIG. 11 is a diagram summarizing the combination of the output signal of the paper detection sensor and the state of the paper as described above.

As described above, in the case of the normal thermal paper S1, when the front and back are inserted correctly, the output of the paper detection sensor is (1,1,1), and the front and back are reversed and the front and back are reversed and the transport direction is reversed. Is (0,1,0).

In the case of the cut-out paper type thermal paper S2, if inserted correctly, the output of the paper detection sensor will be (1,0,0), and if the transport direction is reversed (0,1,1), the front and back and front and back will be reversed. If the transport direction is opposite and the transport direction is opposite, the result is (0,1,0).

In the case of copy paper type thermal paper S3, if inserted correctly, the output of the paper detection sensor will be (1,1,0), and if the transport direction is opposite (0,1,1), the front and back and front and back will be reversed. If the transport direction is opposite and the transport direction is opposite, the result is (0,1,0).

Further, although not described above, when no paper is stored in the paper storage unit 4a, all the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c are in a state where almost no reflected light is detected. The output of the detection sensor is (0,0,0).

In the present embodiment, the color of the inside of the lid 8 facing the paper detection sensor is set so that the output signal is (0, 0, 0) when no paper is stored in the paper storage 4a. Is dark.

However, it is not always necessary to make the color dark, as long as the reflected light does not return as it is, and an inclined surface may be formed on the portion of the lid 8 facing the paper detection sensor, for example. Even if the opposite part has a white tint, the light receiving intensity is reduced because the path of the reflected light is longer than when the paper is detected. Therefore, "0" and "1" are discriminated by the logical value. Various methods can be adopted, such as setting a threshold value such that the threshold value for the wall portion 8 is "0" for the reflected light on the wall portion 8.

As described above, by changing the position and number of marks depending on the type of thermal paper, it is possible to detect whether or not the paper is correctly mounted and the presence or absence of the paper.

As can be seen from FIG. 11, in the present embodiment, the pattern in which the output of the paper detection sensor is (1,0,1) and the pattern in which the output of the paper detection sensor is (0,0,1) are used for determining the state of the paper. No. Therefore, by further using these two patterns, it is possible to determine up to two types of paper. For example, if the front and back are correct and the mark is placed so that it will be (1,0,1) when placed in the opposite direction to the transport direction, the output signal when placed correctly will be (1,1,1). It can be detected that the thermal paper S1 is in a print-permitted state in the same manner as when it is placed correctly, and when the front and back sides are correct and placed in the opposite direction to the transport direction (0, 0, 1). If the marks are arranged so as to be, the output signal when correctly placed is (1,1,0), and it can be detected that printing is permitted in the same manner as when the thermal paper S3 is correctly placed.

In the present embodiment, the normal thermal paper S1 is configured to output a common output signal (1,1,1) in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the transport direction. A mark may be arranged so that the forward / reverse of the paper can be determined, and if the normal thermal paper S1 is used, printing may be permitted regardless of the forward / reverse of the transport direction.

In the present embodiment, the type and state of the thermal paper using the paper detection sensor 42 described above are determined at the start of printing for each sheet, so that the paper is stored according to the type and state of the paper in the print setting. Whether or not the thermal paper in the part 4a is loaded is checked for each sheet of paper. When printing the number of sheets set in one print instruction continuously without always determining the type and state of the thermal paper at the start of printing, the determination is made only once after receiving the print instruction. Then, printing may be started without discriminating the second and subsequent sheets.

Preferably, the determination is performed at the start of printing (start of transport) for each sheet in consideration of the possibility that the orientation of the paper to be stored in the paper storage unit 4a and the front and back sides of the paper are different for each sheet.

Further, the determination may be performed during the printing operation. For example, when the cut paper is detected by the paper detection sensor 42, the output of (1,0,0) is obtained, but as the paper moves, the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c The facing mark deviates from the position facing the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c, and the signal input to the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c is gradually determined to be "0" from the one determined to be "1". It approaches the numerical value to be done. Based on this amount of time change, the paper transfer speed is calculated, compared with the set transfer speed at which the paper should be originally conveyed, and it is determined whether or not the paper is not fed. be able to. If, as a result of the determination, it is determined that the transport state is not normal, control such as stopping printing or transport may be performed.

Further, as described above, the paper detection sensor 42 is arranged after the signals input to the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c gradually approach the numerical value determined to be "1" from the one determined to be "0". Immediately before the entire paper is pulled out of the portion to be processed, the output of (1,1,1) is obtained from the paper detection sensor 42. Immediately after this, as the rear edge of the paper passes through the respective paper detection sensors 42, the marks attached to the subsequent papers start to face the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c, so that the output opposite to the above can be obtained. .. That is, among the outputs of (1,1,1), the paper detection sensors 42b and 42c approach the numerical value determined to be "0" from the numerical value determined to be "1". Therefore, here as well, the paper transport state can be determined in the same manner as described above, and printing and transport can be controlled according to the result.

After that, when the preceding paper passes through the paper detection sensor 42 portion, the succeeding paper faces all of the paper detection sensors 42a, 42b, and 42c. The preceding paper is in the printing operation or before the printing operation, but at this point, the type and state of the succeeding paper may be determined. In this case, if the print instruction for the subsequent paper has already been received, the orientation of the paper in the print setting is compared, and if it is determined that the paper is loaded in the correct orientation, the preceding paper is ejected. The paper feeding operation can be started immediately after the paper is completed. Further, even when the printing instruction regarding the subsequent paper is not received, the determination result of the paper type and the state is stored in the memory or the like arranged on the control circuit, and the power of the mobile thermal printer 2 is not turned off. When the next print instruction is received as it is, the determination can be promptly performed by using the determination result stored in the memory without performing the determination again at that time.

Although the above description has been made in chronological order according to the paper transport, only a part of the control may be cut out and carried out.

Next, FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the structure of the remaining amount indicator 60 that is arranged in the small window 18 and displays the remaining amount of the unused thermal paper. In FIG. 12, in order to make the structure of the remaining amount indicator 60 visible, the skin of the lid 8 and the transparent window glass attached to the small window 18 are omitted. Further, FIG. 13 is a side view schematically showing the structure of the remaining amount indicator 60 when FIG. 12 is viewed from the direction of arrow F. 13 (a) corresponds to the state of FIG. 12 (a), FIG. 13 (b) corresponds to FIG. 12 (b), and FIG. 13 (c) corresponds to FIG. 12 (c).

In FIGS. 12A and 13A, the remaining amount indicator 60 includes a first arm 64 rotatably attached to the lid 8 via a hinge 62 in the thickness direction of the printer. A second arm 68 is rotatably connected to the tip of the first arm 64 in the thickness direction of the printer via a hinge 66. A yellow index member 70 is attached to the tip of the second arm 68. Further, a protrusion 64a is formed in the intermediate portion of the first arm 64 in the longitudinal direction, and a protrusion 68a is formed in the intermediate portion of the second arm 68 in the longitudinal direction. A tension spring 72 is stretched between the protrusion 64a and the protrusion 68a. Therefore, in the natural state, the two arms of the first arm 64 and the second arm 68 are bent and folded at the hinge 66 portion by the urging force of the tension spring 72.

In the remaining amount indicator 60 configured as described above, when a sufficient amount of the thermal paper S remains in the paper storage portion 4a, the thickness of the thermal paper is as shown in FIGS. 12 (c) and 13 (c). The hinge 66 portion is lifted upward, and the first arm 64 and the second arm 68 are in a state of being expanded against the urging force of the tension spring 72. As a result, as shown in FIG. 13C, the index member 70 slides the lower surface of the lid portion 8 in the direction of the arrow G and moves to a position invisible from the small window 18.

From this state, as shown in FIG. 13B, as the thickness of the overlapping thermal paper S decreases, the portion of the hinge 66 is lowered by the urging force of the tension spring 72. As a result, the index member 70 slides the lower surface of the lid portion 8 in the direction of the arrow H, and as shown in FIGS. 13 (b) and 12 (b), for example, when the remaining number of sheets is about 15, the small window 18 It becomes slightly visible at the edge of.

Then, when the printing of the thermal paper S is completed and all the thermal paper S disappears from the paper storage portion 4a, as shown in FIG. 13A, the hinge 66 is completely lowered by the urging force of the tension spring 72, and the index member The 70 further slides in the direction of the arrow H to move to a more visible position in the small window 18. This allows the user to know that the thermal paper is gone. Further, when the paper runs out, the thermal paper cannot be seen in the small window 18, so that the user can confirm that the paper has run out.

As described above, the light guide member is exposed in the small window so that the light of any of the LEDs 20a to 20c provided in the vicinity of the small window 18 is irradiated in the small window 18 to irradiate the paper. There is. It is more preferable to provide a gap or a part of the light guide member between the small window 18 and the index member 70 so that the light from the LED also wraps around the upper surface (small window 18 side) of the index member 70.

By the above operation, the remaining amount indicator 60 can display the remaining amount of the thermal paper in the paper storage unit 4a with a yellow index member in an easy-to-understand manner for the user.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the thermal paper is provided with different marks depending on the type, and the marks are detected by three sensors provided in the paper storage portion of the mobile thermal printer. , The type of thermal paper, the forward and reverse directions, and the presence or absence of thermal paper can be detected. As a result, it is possible to determine the state of the paper and prevent malfunction without causing the mobile printer to become large and costly.

Further, by having the detachable output tray in the mobile thermal printer, it is possible to hold a plurality of printed sheets of paper so as not to fall, and the convenience of the mobile printer is improved.

In addition, by providing a small window on the lid of the paper storage unit and providing a remaining amount indicator with a simple structure, the remaining unused thermal paper remains for the user without increasing the size and cost of the mobile printer. You can tell the number of sheets.

2: Mobile thermal printer, 4: Main body, 4a: Paper storage, 8: Cover, 12: Paper output tray, 56: Paper feed roller, 58: Platen roller, Thermal head: 60, 42a, 42b, 42c: Paper detection sensor, 44a, 44b: Paper holder, 60: Remaining amount indicator

Claims (10)

A printing mechanism with a print head and
A paper storage unit for storing printing paper and
A transport means for transporting the printing paper from the paper storage unit to the printing mechanism unit, and
A plurality of reflective sensors having a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit arranged in the paper storage unit, and by detecting a plurality of marks formed in different patterns on different types of printing paper. A plurality of reflective sensors for detecting the type of printing paper or the state of the printing paper, and
A lid portion having a paper retainer portion that presses the printing paper stored in the paper storage portion toward the reflective sensor, and a lid portion.
A holding spring provided at the downstream end of the lid portion in the transport direction of the transport means, and
Equipped with a,
The printer is characterized in that the paper presser portion is provided on the upstream side of the presser spring in the transport direction at a position deviated from the reflective sensor in the plane direction of the printing paper. The reflection type sensor is one with at least one side with respect to the center line in the width direction of the printing paper in the paper storage unit, according to claim 1, characterized in that it is two arranged on the other side Printer. The printer according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the paper holding portion is arranged at a position symmetrical with respect to a center line in the width direction of the printing paper. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein three reflective sensors are arranged in the paper storage unit. One said reflective sensor arranged on one side with respect to the center line in the width direction of the printing paper, and two said sensors arranged on the other side with respect to the center line in the width direction of the printing paper. The printer according to claim 4 , wherein one of the reflective sensors is arranged at a position point-symmetrical to the center of the printing paper. By combining a plurality of outputs of the reflective sensor, it is possible to detect whether the printing paper is normal printing paper, copy paper type printing paper, or cut paper type printing paper. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the printer is characterized. Any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein by combining a plurality of outputs of the reflective sensor, it is detected that the printing paper is stored in the paper storage unit with the front and back sides reversed. The printer described in the section. The claim is characterized in that, by combining a plurality of outputs of the reflection type sensor, it is detected that the printing paper is stored in the paper storage unit in the direction opposite to the transport direction of the transport means. The printer according to any one of 1 to 7. The reflective sensor outputs "0" as a logical value when the reflective sensor faces the portion of the printing paper on which the mark is formed, and the reflective sensor outputs "0" as the logical value, and the reflective sensor is the printing paper. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein "1" is output as a logical value when facing a surface on which a mark is not formed. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the print head is a thermal head.

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