JP7452565B2 - Electronic equipment and printing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to electronic equipment and printing devices.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printing devices are known that create printed matter by printing characters, figures, etc. on a roll-shaped tape that is a printing medium. This type of printing device, also called a label printer, holds a tape between a print head and a platen roller, prints while conveying the tape, and after the printing process is finished, cuts the tape to create printed matter (label). Create.

In a label printer, when a roll of tape is used up, it is common to open the lid of the casing and replace the tape. Further, when the lid is opened, the tape is released from being held between the print head and the platen roller.

For example, the printing device described in Patent Document 1 includes a printer main body and a lid, one of the recording head and the platen roller is attached to the lid, and the other of the recording head and the platen roller is attached to the printer main body. . A lock lever for locking the platen roller is provided on the printer main body, and a slidable open lever is provided on the outer surface of the lid. When the open lever slides, the protrusion provided on the open lever presses the lock lever, and the lid opens.

JP2016-022694A

In recent years, an increasing number of models are not limited to those that create print data on the label printer side, but also create print data using an external device such as a smartphone or personal computer, and send the print data to the label printer using a wireless or wired connection. . Along with this, there is a trend for label printers to not be equipped with a keyboard for inputting characters, and to simplify the appearance of the housing. Furthermore, from a design standpoint, it is desirable that the operating member for opening the lid of the casing be invisible when the label printer is in use.

However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the sliding open lever provided on the outer surface of the lid part is easily visible due to the positional relationship with the recording head and the platen roller, which is undesirable in terms of design. In addition, each time you perform a lock release operation, friction occurs due to contact between the open lever and the lock lever, which operate in different directions, which may cause the contact points to deteriorate and stop working properly over time. be.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device and a printing device that are excellent in design and convenience in opening the lid.

An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a lid that can be opened and closed with respect to a device main body; a holding mechanism that holds the lid in a state where the lid is closed with respect to the device main body; a pressing part provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body or a side part of the apparatus main body, an external force applying part provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body, and a release part for releasing the holding of the lid part by the holding mechanism; a slider that releases the holding of the lid part by the holding mechanism via the release part when the external force applying part is moved in a first direction toward the holding part by an external force; an elastic member that is held between a first wall provided on the slider and a second wall provided on the device main body, and urges the slider in a second direction opposite to the first direction; Equipped with.

According to the above aspects, it is possible to obtain an electronic device and a printing device that are excellent in design and convenience in opening the lid.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the printing device with the lid closed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the printing device with the lid closed. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the internal structure of the main body of the printing device. It is a figure which shows the holding state in a holding mechanism. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the relationship between a slider and a push lever. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a slider and a slider biasing spring. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a slider and a slider biasing spring. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a connecting portion between an operating member and a transmission member in the slider. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a state before the operating member and the transmission member are coupled. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a process of assembling the transmission member to the base member. It is a perspective view of the state before a base member and a bottom unit are combined. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a process of assembling the operating member to the bottom unit. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a process of assembling the operating member to the bottom unit. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the main body when the slider is not being operated. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the main body when the slider is operated in a first direction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show a printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment. The printing device 10 is a label printer that creates a label by printing on a tape (not shown) that is a strip-shaped printing medium, and is one embodiment of an electronic device to which the present invention is applied.

The configuration of the printing apparatus 10 will be described with reference to the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction that are perpendicular to each other. The printing device 10 is installed so that the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction during printing, and the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are the horizontal direction.

The printing device 10 is box-shaped, having a top surface 10a and a bottom surface 10b on both sides in the Z-axis direction, a front surface 10c and a rear surface 10d on both sides in the Y-axis direction, and side surfaces 10e and 10f on both sides in the X-axis direction. It has an external shape of The top surface 10a and the bottom surface 10b are surfaces substantially parallel to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction (that is, substantially horizontal surfaces), respectively. The front surface 10c, the rear surface 10d, the side surfaces 10e, and the side surfaces 10f are slightly inclined with respect to the Z-axis direction, and as you proceed from the top surface 10a side to the bottom surface 10b side, the distance between the front surface 10c and the rear surface 10d gradually increases, and the side surface 10e The distance between and the side surface 10f gradually increases.

Four leg portions 10g (see FIG. 2) are provided on the bottom surface 10b. When printing with the printing device 10, the bottom surface 10b is directed downward, and the legs 10g are placed on a desk, floor, or the like. Based on the orientation of the printing apparatus 10 in this state of use, the top surface 10a side in the Z-axis direction is defined as the upper side, and the bottom surface 10b side is defined as the lower side. The distance from the side surface 10e to the side surface 10f is greater than the distance from the front surface 10c to the rear surface 10d. That is, in the horizontal direction, the X-axis direction is the longitudinal direction of the printing device 10, and the Y-axis direction is the lateral direction of the printing device 10.

The printing device 10 includes a device main body 11 that performs printing on a tape, and a lid portion 12 that is an opening/closing member that can be opened and closed with respect to the device main body 11. FIG. 1 shows the lid 12 in a closed state, and FIG. 2 shows the lid 12 in a partially opened state. FIG. 3 shows the device main body 11 with the lid 12 removed.

The lid part 12 can be opened by pulling it up in the Y-axis direction around a hinge part 12a (see FIG. 3) provided near the boundary between the top surface 10a and the front surface 10c. The operation of opening and closing the lid part 12 is performed manually by the user. When the lid 12 is closed, the lid 12 covers the front surface 10c of the printing device 10. The lid portion 12 has a shape that covers not only the front surface 10c but also partway between the side surfaces 10e and 10f.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, inside the apparatus main body 11, there are a print head 13 that is a printing section that prints on the tape, a platen roller 14 that is a transport section that transports the tape, and a platen roller 14 that is a transport section that transports the tape. It is equipped with a tape cutter 15 and the like.

A tape cartridge mounting section 16 is formed in the main body 11 of the apparatus. The tape cartridge mounting portion 16 is a recessed portion opened toward the front surface 10c, and a tape cartridge 17 (see FIG. 3) can be accommodated therein. The tape cartridge 17 stores a tape wound into a roll. The tape cartridge mounting section 16 is covered by the lid section 12 in the closed state. By opening the lid part 12, the tape cartridge mounting part 16 is exposed, and the tape cartridge 17 can be attached to and removed from the tape cartridge mounting part 16.

The print head 13 has a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (conveyance direction, X-axis direction) of the tape, and heats the tape with the heating elements. By doing this, printing is performed line by line. Printing by the print head 13 is performed by a thermal transfer type, a thermal type, or the like.

The print head 13 is movable between a remote position away from the platen roller 14 and a printing position close to the platen roller 14 . The movement of the print head 13 between the separation position and the printing position is performed in conjunction with the opening and closing of the lid part 12 via a holding mechanism 20, which will be described later. When the lid 12 is open (FIG. 2), the print head 13 is separated from the platen roller 14, and when the lid 12 is closed (FIG. 1), the print head 13 is in contact with the platen roller 14.

The platen roller 14 is rotatably supported around an axis extending in the Y-axis direction, and is rotated by the driving force of the conveyance motor.

When attaching the tape cartridge 17 to the tape cartridge mounting section 16, the lid section 12 is opened. Since the print head 13 is separated from the platen roller 14 in conjunction with the opening of the lid 12, the tape can enter between the print head 13 and the platen roller 14 by attaching the tape cartridge 17.

In conjunction with closing the lid portion 12, the print head 13 moves to the printing position, and the tape is sandwiched between the print head 13 and the platen roller 14. During printing, the print head 13 is heated while the tape is being held. Further, when the platen roller 14 is rotated while holding the tape, the tape is conveyed in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction).

A tape discharge port 18 is formed on the side surface 10f of the printing device 10. The tape printed by the print head 13 is conveyed in the discharge direction by the rotation of the platen roller 14, and is discharged to the outside from the tape discharge port 18.

A tape cutter 15 is provided in front of the tape outlet 18. The tape cutter 15 is equipped with a half cutter and a full cutter, and the half cutter cuts the tape halfway through its thickness, leaving the release paper behind, and the full cutter cuts the entire thickness of the tape.

The printing device 10 includes a holding mechanism 20 that holds the lid 12 and the print head 13. The holding mechanism 20 holds the lid 12 in a closed state and holds the print head 13 in the printing position. By operating the operating member 30 provided at the bottom of the device main body 11, the holding by the holding mechanism 20 can be released and the lid 12 can be opened.

3 and 4 show the structure of the holding mechanism 20. As an element constituting the holding mechanism 20, the lid portion 12 is provided with a push-in protrusion 21, and inside the device body 11, there is a switch lever 22 that is a first rotating member and a pusher that is a second rotating member. A lever 23 and a head arm 24 (see FIG. 3) are provided. A push lever return spring 25 is connected to the switch lever 22 and the push lever 23. A head pressing spring 26 is connected to the switch lever 22 and the head arm 24.

As shown in FIG. 2, the push-in protrusion 21 projects toward the inner surface of the lid portion 12. As shown in FIG. When the lid part 12 is closed, the push-in projection 21 is inserted into the insertion space 16a (see FIG. 3) formed near the lower end of the tape cartridge mounting part 16. The direction of movement of the push-in protrusion 21 as the lid part 12 is opened and closed is rotation around the hinge part 12a that supports the cover part 12, but when entering the insertion space 16a, the push-in protrusion 21 generally moves in the Y direction. Move in the axial direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, a holding groove 21a is formed near the tip of the push-in protrusion 21. The holding groove 21a extends in the X-axis direction and is open on one side in the X-axis direction.

The head arm 24 is supported so as to be rotatable (swingable) about a support shaft oriented in the Y-axis direction. The print head 13 is attached to the head arm 24, and rotation of the head arm 24 moves the print head 13 to the above-mentioned separation position and printing position.

As shown in FIG. 4, the switch lever 22 is supported so as to be rotatable (swingable) about a support shaft 22a facing in the Z-axis direction. The switch lever 22 has a first arm portion 22b and a second arm portion 22c that extend in different directions from a point supported by the support shaft 22a.

A head pressing spring 26 is connected to a spring hook 22d near the tip of the first arm 22b. The head pressing spring 26 is a tension spring, and one end is connected to the spring hook 22d of the switch lever 22, and the other end is connected to the head arm 24 as shown in FIG. When the switch lever 22 rotates, the head pressing spring 26 expands and contracts to control the operation of the head arm 24.

A holding protrusion 22e is provided near the tip of the second arm portion 22c. The holding protrusion 22e is a cylindrical protrusion that protrudes in the Z-axis direction, and has a diameter corresponding to the width of the holding groove 21a of the push-in protrusion 21. In other words, the holding protrusion 22e can enter into the holding groove 21a.

A fitting portion 22f is further provided near the tip of the second arm portion 22c. The fitting portion 22f has a hook shape that projects from the tip of the second arm portion 22c.

A spring hook 22i is provided in the middle of the first arm 22b. A push lever return spring 25 is connected to the spring hook 22i.

As shown in FIG. 4, the push lever 23 is supported so as to be rotatable (swingable) about a support shaft 23a facing in the Z-axis direction. The push lever 23 has a first arm portion 23b and a second arm portion 23c that extend in different directions from a point supported by the support shaft 23a.

A push lever return spring 25 is connected to a spring hook 23d near the tip of the first arm 23b. The push lever return spring 25 is a tension spring, and controls the relative movement of the switch lever 22 and push lever 23 while expanding and contracting.

An operated projection 23e is provided near the tip of the second arm portion 23c. The operated projection 23e is a cylindrical projection that projects in the Z-axis direction.

A fitting portion 23f is further provided near the tip of the second arm portion 23c. The fitting portion 23f has a hook shape that is bent in the same direction as the protruding direction of the first arm portion 23b.

The operation of the holding mechanism 20 having the above structure will be explained. FIG. 4 shows a holding state in which the lid portion 12 is completely closed and held by the holding mechanism 20. Regarding the rotation direction of the switch lever 22 shown in FIG. 4, the clockwise direction is defined as the holding release direction, and the counterclockwise direction is defined as the holding direction. Regarding the rotation direction of the push lever 23 shown in FIG. 4, the clockwise direction is the fitting direction, and the counterclockwise direction is the fitting release direction.

When the lid portion 12 is closed, the switch lever 22 and the push lever 23 are in the holding state shown in FIG. 4. In the holding state, the push lever return spring 25 and the head pressing spring 26 are each stretched, and a biasing force acts on the switch lever 22 in the holding release direction. A fitting portion 23f of the push lever 23 fits into a fitting portion 22f of the switch lever 22, and rotation of the switch lever 22 in the holding release direction is restricted. The biasing force of the push lever return spring 25 pulls the push lever 23 in the fitting direction, and the fitting between the fitting portion 22f and the fitting portion 23f is maintained.

In the holding state, the inner surface of the holding groove 21a comes into contact with the holding protrusion 22e, and the movement of the push-in protrusion 21 in the direction of pulling it out from the insertion space 16a (upward in FIG. 4) is restricted, thereby opening the lid part 12. Movement is regulated. Further, in the holding state, the print head 13 is held in the printing position by the switch lever 22 pulling the head arm 24 via the head pressing spring 26 (pulling counterclockwise in FIG. 3).

Therefore, when the lid 12 is closed, the holding mechanism 20 holds the print head 13 at the printing position and also holds the lid 12 (restricts opening of the lid 12).

Although the details will be described later, a transmission member 40 is provided inside the device main body 11 and moves in the X-axis direction when the operation member 30 is operated (external force applied). 23e (see FIG. 5). When the operating member 30 is operated with the lid portion 12 closed, the transmission member 40 moves in the X-axis direction and the release portion 41 comes into contact with the operated projection 23e. The release portion 41 presses the operated protrusion 23e in the unfitting direction (counterclockwise), and the push lever 23 rotates in the unfitting direction while pulling and stretching the push lever return spring 25.

When the push lever 23 rotates in the unfitting direction, the fitting portion 23f of the push lever 23 is disengaged from the fitting portion 22f of the switch lever 22. The switch lever 22 is biased in the holding release direction (clockwise) by the push lever return spring 25 and the head pressing spring 26 in the extended state, and the switch lever 22 is urged in the holding release direction (clockwise) to release the fitting between the fitting portion 22f and the fitting portion 23f. Accordingly, the switch lever 22 is rotated in the holding release direction by force.

When the switch lever 22 is rotated in the holding release direction by the biasing force, the switch lever 22 and the push lever 23 are brought into the holding release state. In the holding release state, when the switch lever 22 is rotated in the holding releasing direction, the holding protrusion 22e pushes the inner surface of the holding groove 21a in the opening direction of the lid 12, and the lid 12 is slightly opened. Furthermore, when the switch lever 22 rotates in the holding release direction, the head arm 24 is rotated, and the print head 13 moves from the printing position to the separation position and leaves the platen roller 14 .

When the operation on the operating member 30 is released, the push lever 23 is rotated in the fitting direction (clockwise) by the biasing force of the push lever return spring 25. However, in the holding release state, since the fitting part 22f is spaced apart from the fitting part 23f in the Y-axis direction, the fitting part 22f and the fitting part 23f do not fit together.

As described above, when the operating member 30 is operated with the lid 12 closed, the holding mechanism 20 releases the print head 13 from the printing position and moves it to the separated position, and the lid 12 The state is such that the holding of the lid part 12 is released (the lid part 12 can be opened). When the holding mechanism 20 enters the holding release state, the lid portion 12 opens slightly with respect to the device main body 11. From this state, the user can grasp the lid 12 and manually open the lid 12 further.

Next, a case in which the lid portion 12 is closed from an open state will be described. The push-in protrusion 21 is inserted into the insertion space 16a of the tape cartridge mounting section 16 by the operation of closing the lid section 12. The holding protrusion 22e of the switch lever 22 is located on the extension of the push-in protrusion 21 in the insertion direction in the Y-axis direction, and when the push-in protrusion 21 is inserted in the Y-axis direction, The inclined surface 21b presses the holding protrusion 22e to generate a force in the X-axis direction, and the switch lever 22 rotates slightly in the holding release direction (clockwise).

When the push-in projection 21 is further inserted, the holding projection 22e reaches the opening of the holding groove 21a. When the force for inserting the push-in projection 21 is transmitted from the holding groove 21a to the holding projection 22e, the switch lever 22 rotates in the holding direction (counterclockwise).

When the switch lever 22 rotates in the holding direction, the head arm 24, which is elastically connected to the switch lever 22 via the head pressing spring 26, rotates, and the print head 13 moves from the separation position to the printing position, moving the print head 13 toward the platen roller. Approaching 14. When the print head 13 reaches the printing position, the contact between the print head 13 and the platen roller 14 restricts further rotation of the head arm 24 in the counterclockwise direction.

At this stage, the lid part 12 is not completely closed, and the switch lever 22 further rotates in the holding direction as the push-in protrusion 21 is inserted. Then, the head pressing spring 26 is stretched and expanded, and the head arm 24 is urged by the force of the head pressing spring 26 to contract, and the print head 13 is pressed against the platen roller 14. Thereby, the print head 13 is held in a biased state toward the printing position.

When the switch lever 22 rotates to the holding position (holding direction) as the push-in protrusion 21 is inserted, the fitting portion 22f approaches and abuts the fitting portion 23f. At this time, the contact points between the fitting part 22f and the fitting part 23f are the surfaces 22g and 23g inclined with respect to the Y-axis direction, and the switch lever 22 rotates toward the holding position and the fitting part 23f comes into contact with the fitting part 23f. When the fitting portion 22f is pressed, force is transmitted in the X-axis direction, and the push lever 23 rotates in the unfitting direction (counterclockwise). This rotation of the push lever 23 is a retraction operation performed in order for the fitting portion 22f to get over the fitting portion 23f.

When the push lever 23 rotates in the unmating direction, the push lever return spring 25 is pulled and stretched, and the force of the push lever return spring 25 to contract causes the push lever 23 to move in the mating direction (clockwise). Forced. When the tip of the fitting part 22f passes over the tip of the fitting part 23f, the push lever 23, which is no longer pressed against the fitting part 23f from the fitting part 22f, is moved in the fitting direction by the biasing force of the push lever return spring 25. Rotate to.

When the lid part 12 is completely closed and the push-in protrusion 21 is inserted into the insertion space 16a of the tape cartridge mounting part 16 the deepest, the switch lever 22 and the push lever 23 are in the holding state shown in FIG. 4. In the holding state, the switch lever 22 is held in the holding position by the fitting of the fitting part 22f and the fitting part 23f, holding the print head 13 in the printing position and holding the lid part 12 to restrict opening. .

Next, details of the operating mechanism that causes the holding mechanism 20 to perform a holding release operation according to a user's operation will be described. This operating mechanism includes a slider 27 to which an operating member 30 and a transmission member 40 are coupled, and a slider biasing spring 50 that is an elastic member that biases the slider 27. 5 to 7 show the overall structure of the slider 27. 8 and 9 show the structure of a portion where the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 are connected. Each direction in the following description refers to a direction when the slider 27 and the slider biasing spring 50 are assembled to the main body 11 of the printing apparatus 10.

The transmission member 40 is a long member in the X-axis direction, and includes a release part 41 at one end in the X-axis direction, a coupling part 42 near the other end in the X-axis direction, and a release part 41 in the vicinity of the other end in the X-axis direction. A spring support portion 43 is provided at the position. The release portion 41 is a portion that comes into contact with the operated protrusion 23e of the push lever 23. The coupling portion 42 is a portion to which the operating member 30 is coupled. The spring support portion 43 is a portion that supports the slider biasing spring 50.

The transmission member 40 is formed by molding a synthetic resin or the like, and the entire transmission member 40 including the release portion 41, the coupling portion 42, and the spring support portion 43 is composed of one part. As for the overall structure of the transmission member 40, a vertical wall portion 40b protrudes upward in the Z-axis direction from the periphery of a substantially horizontal plate-shaped bottom wall portion 40a that extends in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. In other words, the transmission member 40 has a box-shaped structure surrounded by the bottom wall portion 40a and the vertical wall portion 40b with an open upper side, and has both high rigidity and light weight.

The release portion 41 of the transmission member 40 protrudes in a direction intersecting the X-axis direction. More specifically, the release portion 41 has a bent shape that protrudes toward the rear side in the Y-axis direction, and includes an abutment surface 41a that is a part of the vertical wall portion 40b. The abutment surface 41a is a plane located opposite to the operated protrusion 23e of the push lever 23 in the X-axis direction.

The coupling portion 42 of the transmission member 40 includes a pair of support walls 42a formed by a vertical wall portion 40b. The pair of support walls 42a have a flat plate shape that extends in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and are arranged in parallel with an interval in the Y-axis direction. A pair of support ribs 42b extending in the Z-axis direction and spaced apart in the X-axis direction protrude from the outer surface of each support wall 42a.

The coupling portion 42 further includes a fitting protrusion 42c that protrudes downward in the Z-axis direction from the bottom wall portion 40a (see FIG. 9). The fitting protrusion 42c is a prismatic protrusion having a pair of side surfaces facing in the X-axis direction and a pair of side surfaces facing in the Y-axis direction.

The operating member 30 includes a plate-shaped base portion 31 that extends in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, a finger hook portion 32 that projects downward from the base portion 31 in the Z-axis direction, and a finger hook portion 32 that extends upward in the Z-axis direction from the base portion 31. A pair of coupling protrusions 33 protrude from the base portion 31, and a fitting cylinder portion 34 protrudes upward in the Z-axis direction from the base portion 31. The operation member 30 is formed by molding a synthetic resin or the like, and the entire operation member 30 includes a base portion 31, a finger rest portion 32, a coupling protrusion 33, and a fitting cylinder portion 34.

The base portion 31 and the finger hook portion 32 are external force applying portions into which operations from the user are input. The base portion 31 is located below the bottom wall portion 40a of the transmission member 40 in the Z-axis direction. The finger rest part 32 has a concave curved shape at the part that the user touches, making it easy to apply force in the X-axis direction.

The pair of coupling protrusions 33 are elongated plate-shaped protrusions arranged at intervals in the Y-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 9, each of the pair of coupling protrusions 33 has a planar inner surface 33a facing each other in the Y-axis direction, and a claw portion 33b protruding on the opposite side of the inner surface 33a in the Y-axis direction. We are prepared. Each claw portion 33b has an inclined tapered surface 33c that increases the thickness of the connecting projection 33 as it progresses from the distal end side to the proximal end side (base portion 31 side), and a tapered surface 33c that is continuous with the lower end of the tapered surface 33c. A locking surface 33d facing downward in the Z-axis direction is provided.

The fitting cylinder portion 34 is provided between the pair of coupling protrusions 33 in the Y-axis direction. The fitting cylinder part 34 is a square cylinder-shaped protrusion surrounded by a pair of walls spaced apart in the X-axis direction and a pair of walls spaced apart in the Y-axis direction, and extends upward in the Z-axis direction. It's open. The fitting protrusion 42c of the transmission member 40 can be inserted into the fitting cylinder portion 34.

The pair of coupling protrusions 33 can be elastically deformed to change the position of the distal end in the Y-axis direction using the proximal end connected to the base portion 31 as a fulcrum. There is a gap in the Y-axis direction between the pair of coupling protrusions 33 and the fitting cylinder part 34, so that the elastic deformation of each coupling protrusion 33 is not hindered by the fitting cylinder part 34.

5 to 7 show a state in which the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 are combined. In this coupled state, the pair of support walls 42a are inserted between the inner surfaces 33a of the pair of coupling protrusions 33, and the fitting protrusions 42c are inserted into and fitted into the fitting cylinder portion 34. The positional relationship between the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is determined by the fit between the fitting cylinder portion 34 and the fitting protrusion 42c. Furthermore, by inserting the pair of coupling protrusions 33 into the groove-shaped portions surrounded by the support wall 42a and the pair of support ribs 42b, the operation member 30 and the transmission member 40 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction can be The positional relationship is determined.

When only the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 are in a relationship that allows them to be attached and detached in the Z-axis direction, they are not completely coupled. A structure for completely coupling the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 will be described later.

The spring support portion 43 of the transmission member 40 has a plate-shaped first wall portion 43a that extends in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. A pair of side wall portions 43b are formed on both sides of the first wall portion 43a, and are bent toward the X-axis direction with respect to the first wall portion 43a. When the transmission member 40 is viewed from above in plan, the spring support portion 43 has a U-shape surrounded by a first wall portion 43a and a pair of side wall portions 43b. The first wall portion 43a and the pair of side wall portions 43b have a larger protrusion amount in the Z-axis direction than the vertical wall portion 40b in a portion other than the spring support portion 43, and each of the pair of side wall portions 43b is a part of the vertical wall portion 40b. It is an upward extension of

A positioning protrusion 43c is provided on one surface of the first wall portion 43a in the X-axis direction (the surface in the direction in which the side wall portion 43b bends with respect to the first wall portion 43a). The positioning protrusion 43c is a rectangular protrusion that extends in the Z-axis direction.

The spring support portion 43 further includes support ribs 43d provided on the bottom wall portion 40a. The support rib 43d is a protruding portion that protrudes upward in the Z-axis direction from the bottom wall portion 40a and is long in the X-axis direction. The height of the support rib 43d in the Z-axis direction from the bottom wall 40a is smaller than the height of the first wall 43a and the pair of side walls 43b. A recess 43e is formed on the side of the support rib 43d by lowering a portion of the vertical wall 40b in the Z-axis direction.

The slider biasing spring 50 is a compression spring (compression coil spring), and is arranged with its axis directed in the X-axis direction. One end of the slider biasing spring 50 in the X-axis direction contacts the first wall portion 43a, and the positioning protrusion 43c enters into the slider biasing spring 50. The outer peripheral surface of the slider biasing spring 50 is supported from below in the Z-axis direction by the support rib 43d. Further, a pair of side wall portions 43b are located on both sides of the slider biasing spring 50 in the Y-axis direction. These structures determine the position of the slider biasing spring 50 with respect to the transmission member 40.

However, the transmission member 40 alone does not support the other end of the slider biasing spring 50 in the X-axis direction (the end opposite to the side that abuts the first wall portion 43a). The structure for supporting the other end of the slider biasing spring 50 will be described later.

The printing apparatus 10 includes a base member 60 and a bottom unit 70 that constitute the apparatus main body 11. The transmission member 40 and the slider biasing spring 50 are supported by the base member 60, and the operating member 30 is supported by the bottom unit 70. By combining the base member 60 and the bottom unit 70, the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 are combined, and the slider 27 is completed.

FIG. 10 shows a portion of the base member 60. The base member 60 includes a housing space 64 surrounded by a first support plate 61 , a second support plate 62 , and a guide rib 63 . The first support plate 61 is located at the lower part of the accommodation space 64 and has a plate-like structure that extends in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. A flat support surface 61a facing upward in the Z-axis direction is formed in a part of the first support plate 61. The second support plate 62 is located above the support surface 61a and has a surface parallel to the support surface 61a. A notch 62a is formed in the second support plate 62 in the middle in the X-axis direction. The guide rib 63 is provided between the first support plate 61 (support surface 61a) and the second support plate 62 in the Z-axis direction, and partially closes the front side of the accommodation space 64 in the Y-axis direction. The housing space 64 is open on the rear side in the Y-axis direction.

The transmission member 40 is assembled into the accommodation space 64 while sliding the transmission member 40 from the rear side to the front side along the Y-axis direction.

The distance between the support surface 61a and the second support plate 62 in the Z-axis direction corresponds to the height of the vertical wall portion 40b of the transmission member 40 from the bottom wall portion 40a. When the transmission member 40 is inserted into the accommodation space 64, the transmission member 40 is sandwiched between the support surface 61a and the second support plate 62, and the position of the transmission member 40 in the Z-axis direction is determined. Further, when the transmission member 40 is inserted into the accommodation space 64, the tip of the guide rib 63 comes into contact with the vertical wall portion 40b of the transmission member 40, and the position of the transmission member 40 in the Y-axis direction is determined.

Although not shown, other parts constituting the device main body 11 are attached to the rear side of the base member 60. This separate component closes the rear side of the accommodation space 64 and restricts the movement of the transmission member 40 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction into the accommodation space 64 (separation of the transmission member 40 from the accommodation space 64). .

The transmission member 40, whose positions in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction are determined in this way, can linearly move (slide) in the X-axis direction within the accommodation space 64. When the transmission member 40 is inserted into the accommodation space 64, the first wall portion 43a and the side wall portion 43b of the spring support portion 43 enter the notch 62a of the second support plate 62. The length of the notch 62a in the X-axis direction is greater than the thickness of the first wall portion 43a and the side wall portion 43b in the X-axis direction, and within the length of the notch 62a, the transmission member 40 is supported so as to be movable in the direction.

The base member 60 includes a spring support portion 65 near the notch 62a of the second support plate 62. The spring support portion 65 includes a plate-shaped second wall portion 65a that extends in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and a plate-shaped upper wall portion 65b that extends in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. It has an L-shaped structure.

When the transmission member 40 is assembled into the accommodation space 64, the second wall portion 65a enters the recess 43e, and the first wall portion 43a of the transmission member 40 and the second wall portion 65a of the spring support portion 65 face each other in the X-axis direction. . The first wall portion 43a and the second wall portion 65a are parallel to each other. Further, an upper wall portion 65b is located above the first wall portion 43a and the side wall portion 43b.

When assembling the transmission member 40 into the accommodation space 64, the slider biasing spring 50 is supported by the spring support portion 43. Then, the slider biasing spring 50 is arranged in a space surrounded by the spring support part 43 and the spring support part 65. Specifically, one end and the other end of the slider biasing spring 50 abut against the first wall 43a and the second wall 65a, and the slider biasing spring 50 is held in the X-axis direction. Further, the outer circumferential surface of the slider biasing spring 50 is surrounded by a pair of side wall portions 43b, a support rib 43d, and an upper wall portion 65b.

Note that the first wall portion and the second wall portion that sandwich the elastic member corresponding to the slider biasing spring 50 may have various configurations other than the flat plate shape such as the first wall portion 43a and the second wall portion 65a. Applicable. As an example, the first wall portion and the second wall portion may have a mesh-like shape. In this way, the first wall and the second wall in the present invention are concepts that include not only flat walls but also other shapes and configurations.

In the X-axis direction, the moving direction of the slider 27 that reduces the distance between the first wall portion 43a and the second wall portion 65a is defined as a first direction X1, and the distance between the first wall portion 43a and the second wall portion 65a is increased. The moving direction of the slider 27 is defined as a second direction X2. The release part 41 is provided at the end of the transmission member 40 on the second direction X2 side, and the coupling part 42 (operation member 30) is provided near the end of the transmission member 40 on the first direction X1 side. It is being

When compressed, the slider biasing spring 50, which is a compression spring, pushes the transmission member 40 in the second direction X2 against the second wall portion 65a, which is a fixed wall portion (the first wall portion 43a is 2) creates a biasing force to separate the wall portion 65a from the wall portion 65a. When the first wall portion 43a comes into contact with the edge of the notch 62a, further movement of the transmission member 40 in the second direction X2 is restricted. Therefore, when the transmission member 40 is assembled with the slider biasing spring 50 to the base member 60, the transmission member 40 is stably held while receiving the biasing force in the second direction X2, and the external force is not applied. The slider only moves in the first direction X1 against the biasing force of the slider biasing spring 50.

FIG. 11 shows a state in which the transmission member 40 is assembled to the base member 60 as described above. The base member 60 has a bottom space 66 below the first support plate 61, and the bottom unit 70 is assembled into the bottom space 66 from below. The bottom unit 70 constitutes the bottom of the apparatus main body 11, and the X-axis direction is the longitudinal direction of the bottom, and the Y-axis direction is the lateral direction of the bottom.

12 and 13 show a part and the whole of the bottom unit 70. The bottom unit 70 includes a box-shaped housing 71. The housing 71 includes an upper wall portion 71a located on the upper side in the Z-axis direction, a front wall portion 71b and a rear wall portion 71c that cover the front and rear sides in the Y-axis direction, and an end wall portion that covers both sides in the X-axis direction. 71d and an end wall portion 71e. The casing 71 further includes a partition wall 71f between the end wall 71d and the end wall 71e, which partitions the inside of the casing 71 into two in the X-axis direction.

A portion of the bottom unit 70 from the end wall portion 71d to the partition wall portion 71f is a battery box 77 that accommodates a battery (not shown) therein. As shown in FIG. 2, a removable bottom cover 72 is provided at the bottom of the battery box 77, and the bottom cover 72 forms the bottom surface 10b of the printing apparatus 10. When the bottom cover 72 is removed, the inside of the battery box 77 is exposed and the battery can be attached or removed.

As shown in FIG. 2, a portion of the bottom unit 70 from the end wall portion 71e to the partition wall portion 71f (one end side in the longitudinal direction) is a housing portion 73 that is open downward. More specifically, the housing portion 73 is a portion of the housing 71 surrounded by the upper wall portion 71a, the front wall portion 71b, the rear wall portion 71c, the end wall portion 71e, and the partition wall portion 71f. The housing portion 73 has an internal space that is open downward in the Z-axis direction, with the lower side facing the upper wall portion 71a not being closed. The end wall portion 71e constitutes a part of the side surface 10e of the printing device 10, and a notch 71g is formed that passes through the end wall portion 71e in the X-axis direction.

An external power terminal 74 (see FIG. 12) is provided above the housing portion 73. The external power terminal 74 is a terminal part for receiving power supply from the outside, and a power connector 75 (see FIG. 2) provided at the tip of an electrical wiring 76 extending from a power adapter (not shown) Connected. A through hole 71h (see FIG. 13) that penetrates in the Z-axis direction is formed in the upper wall portion 71a, and the terminal portion of the power connector 75 is connected to the external power terminal 74 through the through hole 71h. In this connected state, a part of the power connector 75 can be led out to the outside of the housing portion 73 through the notch 71g (see FIG. 2).

The accommodating part 73 further includes an assembly part 78 for assembling the operating member 30. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the assembly portion 78 includes a through hole 78a that penetrates the upper wall portion 71a in the Z-axis direction, and a through hole 78a that is located on both sides of the through hole 78a in the Y-axis direction and extends upward in the Z-axis direction. It has a pair of protruding vertical wall portions 78b.

When assembling the operating member 30 to the bottom unit 70, the pair of coupling protrusions 33 and the fitting cylinder part 34 are inserted into the through hole 78a from below. The interval between the pair of claws 33b provided on the pair of coupling protrusions 33 is larger than the opening width of the through hole 78a (the interval between the pair of vertical walls 78b) in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, when inserting the pair of coupling protrusions 33 into the through hole 78a, the operating member 30 is moved in the Z-axis direction while elastically deforming the pair of coupling protrusions 33 in a direction that narrows the distance between them. Since the tapered surface 33c provided on the claw portion 33b of each coupling protrusion 33 contacts the inner surface of the through hole 78a, the pair of coupling protrusions 33 can smoothly pass through the through hole 78a while narrowing the distance between them. can.

The pair of coupling protrusions 33 are inserted along the inner surfaces of the pair of vertical wall portions 78b, and when each claw portion 33b is inserted until it exceeds the height of each vertical wall portion 78b, the pair of coupling protrusions 33 are The spacing between the coupling protrusions 33 becomes wider. Then, the locking surfaces 33d of the pair of coupling protrusions 33 engage with the upper ends of the pair of vertical walls 78b, and movement of the operating member 30 downward in the Z-axis direction is restricted. In other words, the operating member 30 does not fall off from the assembly portion 78, and the operating member 30 is assembled to the bottom unit 70.

In the X-axis direction, the length of the pair of coupling protrusions 33 is smaller than the length of the through hole 78a. Therefore, in a state where the operating member 30 is assembled to the bottom unit 70, the operating member 30 can be moved in the X-axis direction. The operating member 30 can move in the X-axis direction within a range until the base portion 31 comes into contact with the inner surface of the housing portion 73 (end wall portion 71e, partition wall portion 71f).

As shown in FIG. 2, the operating member 30 assembled to the assembly portion 78 of the bottom unit 70 is located near the end wall 71e in the X-axis direction and near the front wall 71b in the Y-axis direction. do. That is, the operating member 30 is disposed near one of the four corners of the bottom of the device main body 11.

FIG. 11 shows a state in which the operating member 30 is assembled to the bottom unit 70 as described above. When the bottom unit 70 supporting the operating member 30 is coupled to the bottom space 66 of the base member 60 supporting the transmitting member 40, the state shown in FIGS. Member 40 joins.

When joining the base member 60 and the bottom unit 70, the assembly portion 78 is positioned below the penetration portion 61b, and the bottom unit 70 is brought closer to the bottom space 66 from below. Then, the coupling protrusion 33 and the fitting cylinder part 34 of the operating member 30 attached to the assembly part 78 pass through the penetration part 61b, and the operating member is connected to the coupling part 42 of the transmission member 40 located above the penetration part 61b. 30 joins.

Specifically, when the operating member 30 moves upward in the Z-axis direction and approaches the coupling portion 42, the pair of support walls 42a are inserted between the inner surfaces 33a of the pair of coupling protrusions 33. When the pair of coupling protrusions 33 sandwich the pair of support walls 42a, deformation that narrows the interval between the pair of coupling protrusions 33 in the Y-axis direction is regulated. Then, the locking surface 33d of each claw part 33b is attached to each vertical wall. It remains engaged with the upper end of 78b. As a result, the pair of coupling protrusions 33 do not separate downward from the through hole 78a. Further, the fitting protrusion 42c fits inside the fitting cylinder portion 34, and the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 are integrated.

As described above, the slider 27 in which the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 are combined is restricted from moving in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction with respect to the device main body 11 including the base member 60 and the bottom unit 70. , is supported so that it can only move in the X-axis direction. As mentioned above, the slider biasing spring 50 exerts a biasing force on the transmission member 40 in the second direction X2, and this biasing force prevents the slider 27 from wobbling in the X-axis direction. Stably held.

FIG. 14 shows a state in which no external force is applied to the slider 27, that is, a state in which the operating member 30 is not operated by the user. In this state, the first wall 43a of the transmission member 40 is pressed and held in the direction away from the second wall 65a of the base member 60 (second direction X2) by the biasing force of the slider biasing spring 50. There is. Therefore, the release portion 41 of the transmission member 40 does not press the operated protrusion 23e (not shown in FIG. 14) of the push lever 23, and the holding mechanism 20 does not perform the holding release operation.

FIG. 15 shows a state in which the user operates the operating member 30 and applies an external force to the slider 27 to cause it to slide in the first direction X1. In this state, the first wall 43a of the transmission member 40 moves in the direction (first direction X1) approaching the second wall 65a of the base member 60 against the biasing force of the slider biasing spring 50. ing. Due to this movement of the slider 27, the release part 41 of the transmission member 40 presses the operated protrusion 23e (not shown in FIG. 15) of the push lever 23, and moves the push lever 23 in the unfitting direction (see FIG. 4). ). As a result, the holding mechanism 20 performs a holding release operation, and the holding on the lid portion 12 and the holding on the print head 13 are released.

As described above, in the printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the holding mechanism 20 that holds the lid portion 12 and the print head 13 is operated to release the holding mechanism via the slider 27.

A base portion 31 and a finger hook portion 32, which are external force applying portions of the slider 27, are provided at the bottom (bottom unit 70) of the device main body 11 of the printing device 10. Since the printing device 10 is used with the bottom surface 10b placed on a desk, floor, etc. during printing, by arranging the base portion 31 and the finger hook portion 32 at the bottom of the device main body 11, the top surface 10a of the printing device 10, A printing device with a simple and highly designed external structure in which the external force application part is not exposed on the easily conspicuous external parts such as the front surface 10c, the rear surface 10d, the side surfaces 10e, and the side surfaces 10f, and the exposure of operating parts is minimized. 10 can be achieved.

As shown in FIG. 2, the base portion 31 and the finger hook portion 32 are arranged inside a housing portion 73 provided at the bottom of the device main body 11. As shown in FIG. The accommodating part 73 has an internal space that is recessed with respect to the bottom surface 10b of the printing apparatus 10, and the base part 31 and the finger hook part 32 arranged in the accommodating part 73 have a shape corresponding to the box-shaped external shape of the printing apparatus 10. and does not protrude outward (particularly below the bottom surface 10b). The operating member 30 has a shape in which a finger rest 32 protrudes from the base portion 31 to make it easy to put a finger on, and has a thickness in the Z-axis direction. By accommodating the finger rest 32, the finger rest 32 does not come into contact with the desk or the floor during printing, and the printing apparatus 10 can stably stand on its own.

Furthermore, since the surroundings of the base portion 31 and the finger hook portion 32 are covered by the wall portions (front wall portion 71b, rear wall portion 71c, end wall portion 71e, partition wall portion 71f) surrounding the storage portion 73, the base portion can be viewed from the side. The portion 31 and the finger hook portion 32 are difficult to see.

Further, the storage section 73 is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the bottom of the printing device 10, and even when the printing device 10 is viewed from the bottom side, the base inside the storage section 73 is The layout is such that the finger hook 31 and the finger hook 32 are not easily noticeable.

In this way, the base portion 31 and the finger hook portion 32, which are the external force applying portions of the slider 27, are provided at positions that are less noticeable in appearance, which has the effect of simplifying the appearance of the printing device 10 and improving the design. can get.

In addition, since the finger hook 32 is provided at a deep position inside the storage section 73, it is difficult to touch the finger hook 32 unless intentionally accessed from the bottom side of the device main body 11. There is little risk that an input to the finger hook 32 will be inadvertently made due to contact with the object. In other words, the wall portions (front wall portion 71b, rear wall portion 71c, end wall portion 71e, and partition wall portion 71f) surrounding the storage portion 73 function as a protective portion that limits the directions in which the finger hook portion 32 can be contacted. do.

As shown in FIG. 2, the accommodating portion 73 is also used as a space for arranging a power connector 75 when power is supplied via the external power terminal 74. By sharing the internal space of the accommodating portion 73 with the base portion 31, the finger hook portion 32, and the power connector 75, the external structure of the printing device 10 is simplified and the design is improved.

Further, the finger rest portion 32 is arranged at a position close to the front wall portion 71b in the Y-axis direction (at the short-side end of the bottom unit 70), and the operating member 30 and the power connector 75 are aligned in the Y-axis direction. It has become. Therefore, even when the power connector 75 is connected to the external power terminal 74, the operating member 30 can be slid in the X-axis direction (first direction X1 and second direction X2) without being hindered by the power connector 75. .

Further, since a part of the power connector 75 is led out to the outside of the accommodating part 73 through the notch 71g provided in the end wall part 71e, the power connector 75 and the electric wiring 76 do not protrude below the bottom surface 10b. , the printing apparatus 10 can stably stand on its own with the power connector 75 connected.

The slider 27 is supported with respect to the device main body 11 including the base member 60 and the bottom unit 70 so that its movement in the Z-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is restricted, and it can only slide in the X-axis direction. When releasing the holding mechanism 20, the user applies an external force to move the finger hook 32 of the operating member 30 in the first direction X1.

Since the X-axis direction including the first direction X1 and the second direction , placement etc. are less likely to be restricted. Thereby, the precision and stability of the operation of the slider 27 can be improved. In addition, the power transmission path from the slider 27 to the holding mechanism 20 can be configured without difficulty in terms of design.

The user's operating force on the operating member 30 in the first direction X1 is directly transmitted to the transmission member 40 without changing the direction of force transmission midway through, and the transmission member 40 moves in the first direction X1. . When the transmitting member 40 moves in the first direction By pressing 23e, the push lever 23 is rotated in the unfitting direction. When the user releases the application of external force to the operating member 30, the slider 27 returns to the second direction X2 due to the biasing force of the compressed slider biasing spring 50.

In this manner, the slider 27 only moves in the X-axis direction from the application of external force to the operating member 30 to the pressing of the operated protrusion 23e by the release portion 41 of the transmission member 40. Therefore, there is little force transmission loss during the process, and the holding mechanism 20 can be efficiently released. In addition, since the direction of power transmission is not changed midway, the structure of the slider 27 is simple, making it easy to control the precision of the parts. Furthermore, the slider 27 is also excellent in that deterioration such as abrasion is less likely to occur in each part, and operation reliability and durability are high.

For example, unlike this embodiment, in the case of a structure in which a member corresponding to the operating member 30 moves in the Y-axis direction and a member corresponding to the transmission member 40 moves in the X-axis direction, the moving force in the Y-axis direction is A conversion structure is required to convert the force into moving force in the X-axis direction. As an example of this type of conversion structure, one is known that uses an inclined surface (including a cam surface, etc.) that is inclined with respect to the moving direction of two members, and a follower that comes into contact with the inclined surface. Friction occurs at the contact area between the follower and the follower, causing wear and power loss due to friction, which poses problems in terms of durability and operating efficiency. Furthermore, since two members moving in different directions are supported, the support structure tends to become complicated.

In contrast, in the printing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the mechanism for operating the holding mechanism 20 is integrated as a slider 27 that moves in the X-axis direction, so the structure is simple and the operation reliability is high. It has excellent durability.

The slider biasing spring 50 that biases the slider 27 is a compression spring that expands and contracts in the X-axis direction, and is inserted between the first wall portion 43a and the second wall portion 65a that are arranged to face each other in the X-axis direction. ing. Therefore, the slider 27 can be urged efficiently with a simple structure. Further, since the outer peripheral surface of the slider biasing spring 50 is surrounded from all sides (Z-axis direction and Y-axis direction) by the pair of side walls 43b, the support ribs 43d, and the top wall 65b, the slider biasing spring 50 When expanding and contracting in the X-axis direction, the slider biasing spring 50 does not buckle, and stable operation can be achieved.

As shown in FIG. 2, an end wall portion 71e is provided as a part of the wall surrounding the accommodating portion 73 at a position facing the finger hook portion 32 of the operating member 30 in the first direction X1. The end wall portion 71e is used as a holding portion (grip portion) for supporting the user when applying an external force to the finger rest portion 32. That is, the first direction X1 is a direction in which the finger hook portion 32, which is an external force applying portion, is directed toward (approaches) the end wall portion 71e, which is a pressing portion. Supporting using the end wall portion 71e means that the user grasps or presses the end wall portion 71e.

As an example of the user's operation based on this configuration, the first finger of the hand is placed on the finger rest part 32, the second finger of the same hand is placed on the end wall part 71e, and the first finger and the second finger are placed on the end wall part 71e. The slider 27 can be moved in the first direction X1 so as to be brought closer to each other. Various choices are possible depending on how you hold the printing device 10, such as a pattern where the first finger is the thumb and the second finger is the index finger, or a pattern where the first finger is the index finger and the second finger is the thumb. It is.

Instead of applying force only to the finger rest 32, the end wall 71e, which is a part of the bottom of the main body 11, is used as support, so that force can be applied to the finger rest 32 even with one-handed operation. This improves the convenience of the hold/release operation.

For example, in the printing apparatus 10, since the finger hook part 32 is arranged in the storage part 73 on the bottom side, when performing a holding release operation of the holding mechanism 20, it is necessary to place the finger holding part 32 horizontally with the front surface 10c and the rear surface 10d facing downward. It is assumed that it will be in a posture. Here, if the end wall part 71e functioning as a holding part does not exist, if only the finger rest part 32 is operated, the entire printing apparatus 10 will slide and move because there is no supporting part, and the slider 27 will not be operated. may not be possible. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to hold the printing device 10, for example, with the hand opposite to the hand that operates the finger hook 32.

On the other hand, if the end wall 71e is present as in this embodiment, the movement of the finger hook 32 in the first direction X1 toward the end wall 71e is supported by the end wall 71e. It can be done easily. As a result, the slider 27 can be efficiently slid with one hand by applying force to the finger hook 32 while grasping the end wall 71e without holding the entire printing apparatus 10. In other words, in a configuration in which the operating member 30 is slid in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface such as a floor or a desk (in the Y-axis direction in the horizontal position in this embodiment), Since it is difficult to apply an external force in the horizontal direction, it becomes easier to slide the operation member 30 without causing the entire printing device 10 to slide. When the operating member 30 is slid in the X-axis direction, the entire printing apparatus 10 tends to slip due to external force, and this can be prevented by providing the end wall portion 71e as a holding portion.

Further, in order to obtain such an effect, it is also largely related that the moving direction of the slider 27 including the finger rest 32 is in the X-axis direction (direction along the bottom surface 10b). For example, unlike this embodiment, if the member corresponding to the operating member 30 is a push button that moves in the Z-axis direction, the pushing direction of the push button is inward of the device main body 11. It is difficult to provide a holding part such as the end wall part 71e inside the main body 11. Therefore, in order to press the push button without the printing device slipping, it is necessary to hold the printing device with the hand opposite to the one operating the push button.

On the other hand, in a configuration in which the finger hook 32 provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body 11 moves in the X-axis direction along the bottom, as in the printing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the end wall 71e is located within the range of the bottom. It is easy to provide a holding part like this.

In particular, in this embodiment, the end wall portion 71e, which is a part of the wall surrounding the housing portion 73, is used as a holding portion, so the structure is simple. The end wall portion 71e is provided at the bottom of the device main body 11 in the Z-axis direction, and is provided at the side of the device main body 11 in the X-axis direction. By setting the first direction X1 in which the holding mechanism 20 moves when releasing the holding from the inside of the accommodating portion 73 toward the outer surface (side surface 10e) of the printing device 10, the outer surface of the printing device 10 is The constituting end wall portion 71e can be used as a holding portion, making it easier for the user to grip the end wall portion 71e.

In addition, from the viewpoint of using the outer surface portion of the printing apparatus 10 (the bottom or side part of the apparatus main body 11) as a holding part, the front wall part 71b and the rear wall part 71c are also candidates for the holding part. For example, unlike the slider 27 of this embodiment, when applying a slider that moves in the Y-axis direction, the front wall portion 71b is used as a holding portion, and the direction approaching the front wall portion 71b is set in the first direction. It can be defined as a direction. Furthermore, in the case of a configuration in which the power connector 75 is not connected to the housing part 73, it is also possible to use the rear wall part 71c as a holding part and define the direction approaching the rear wall part 71c as the first direction. .

As a further modification, the first direction and the second direction of the slider 27 of this embodiment may be reversed, and the direction toward the partition wall portion 71f may be set as the first direction. In this case, it is preferable to provide a holding portion at the position of the partition wall portion 71f, which allows the user to grip and support the device. Unlike this embodiment in which the battery box 77 is disposed at the center of the bottom unit 70, this modification is useful when there is sufficient space at the center of the bottom of the device body 11.

As described above, by arranging the base portion 31 and the finger rest portion 32, which are external force applying portions, inside the storage portion 73, the printing device 10 has a good design and is highly convenient when operating the slider 27. It is possible to achieve both. In particular, in the present embodiment, the finger hook 32 moves in the first direction X1 toward the end wall 71e while using the end wall 71e, which is a part of the wall surrounding the accommodating part 73, as a holding part. By releasing the holding of the holding mechanism 20, very excellent effects can be obtained in terms of good design and convenience during operation.

Regarding the assembly of the slider 27 to the device main body 11, the workability of assembly is improved by individually assembling the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 as separate members. Since the holding mechanism 20 is operated by the release part 41, the transmission member 40 is arranged at a recessed position slightly above the bottom surface 10b of the printing apparatus 10. Therefore, it is suitable that the transmission member 40 is supported by the base member 60 located above the bottom unit 70. The operating member 30 including the finger hook 32, which is an external force applying section, is suitably supported by a bottom unit 70 that can be easily operated from the bottom side.

The transmission member 40 is assembled to the base member 60 by inserting it into the accommodation space 64 along the Y-axis direction. Since the slider 27 is assembled in a direction that intersects (perpendicularly) with the sliding X-axis direction (first direction X1, second direction X2), the guide rib 63 can The position in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction can be determined by simply inserting it until it makes contact, making it easy to assemble.

By inserting the transmission member 40 into the accommodation space 64 after supporting the slider biasing spring 50 on the spring support portion 43 of the transmission member 40, the slider biasing spring is 50 is clamped. Therefore, the slider biasing spring 50 can be easily assembled.

The operation member 30 is assembled to the bottom unit 70 by inserting the pair of coupling protrusions 33 and the fitting cylinder portion 34 into the through hole 78a. When the pair of coupling protrusions 33 are inserted while narrowing the distance between them, the claw portion 33b restricts the operating member 30 from being removed from the through hole 78a, so the operating member 30 can be easily assembled without requiring complicated operations.

Then, as the base member 60 and the bottom unit 70 are coupled, the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 are coupled. The operating member 30 is coupled to the transmission member 40 by assembly in the Z-axis direction. This coupling direction is a direction that intersects (orthogonal to) the X-axis direction (first direction X1, second direction X2) in which the slider 27 slides, so the strength is such that the force can be reliably transmitted in the X-axis direction. The operation member 30 and the transmission member 40 can be coupled to each other by the excellent structure (specifically, the fitting cylinder portion 34 and the fitting protrusion 42c).

Further, by coupling the operation member 30 and the transmission member 40, the pair of coupling protrusions 33 sandwich the pair of support walls 42a, and deformation that narrows the interval between the pair of coupling protrusions 33 is restricted. As a result, movement of the pair of coupling protrusions 33 in the direction of separation from the through hole 78a (downward in the Z-axis direction) is restricted, and the coupling between the operating member 30 and the transmission member 40 is maintained. That is, simply by assembling the bottom unit 70 that supports the operating member 30 to the base member 60 that supports the transmitting member 40, the coupling between the operating member 30 and the transmitting member 40 can be completed. Since no special fixing work is required between the operation member 30 and the transmission member 40, the work efficiency when assembling the printing apparatus 10 is excellent.

The above embodiments are specific examples to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications may be made without departing from the gist of the invention. , change is possible.

For example, in the above embodiment, the slider 27 is configured separately into the operation member 30 and the transmission member 40 in consideration of convenience during assembly, etc. It is also possible to use a slider made of a single member including (first wall portion 43a), a release portion (release portion 41), and the like.

In the embodiment described above, the end wall portion 71e, which is a part of the wall surrounding the housing portion 73, is used as the holding portion, but it is also possible to provide a holding portion separately from the outer wall portion such as the end wall portion 71e. For example, if the distance from the finger hook 32 to the wall surrounding the housing section 73 is long, a protrusion that protrudes downward from the upper wall 71a may be provided and this protrusion may be used as a presser.

In the embodiment described above, the power supply connector 75 for power supply is connected inside the accommodating portion 73, but the connector for connecting electric wiring is not limited to this. For example, a connector for signal transmission may be connected inside the accommodating portion 73.

Although the above embodiment is an example of application to the printing device 10, the present invention can also be applied to electronic devices other than printing devices as long as the device has a lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the main body of the device. be.

Hereinafter, the invention described in the original claims of this application will be additionally described.
[Additional note 1]
A lid part that can be opened and closed with respect to the main body of the device,
a holding mechanism that holds the lid in a state in which the lid is closed with respect to the device main body;
a presser provided on the bottom of the device main body or the side of the device main body;
The device has an external force applying section provided at the bottom of the device main body, and a releasing section that releases the holding of the lid section by the holding mechanism, and the external force applying section is directed toward the pressing section by an external force. a slider that releases the holding of the lid part by the holding mechanism via the releasing part when moved in the direction;
an elastic member that is held between a first wall portion provided on the slider and a second wall portion provided on the device main body, and urges the slider in a second direction opposite to the first direction; ,
Equipped with
An electronic device characterized by:
[Additional note 2]
A housing portion opened downward is provided at the bottom of the device main body,
The external force applying section is provided within the housing section so as to be able to apply an external force in the first direction,
The holding part is a part of a wall surrounding the housing part,
The electronic device according to supplementary note 1, characterized in that:
[Additional note 3]
The first direction and the second direction are longitudinal directions of the bottom of the device main body,
The accommodating portion is provided at a longitudinal end of the bottom of the device main body,
The electronic device according to appendix 2, characterized in that:
[Additional note 4]
A connector for connecting electrical wiring can be connected within the housing part,
The external force applying section is provided at a position movable in the first direction and the second direction while the connector is connected to the housing section.
The electronic device according to appendix 2 or 3, characterized in that:
[Additional note 5]
The external force applying section is provided at one end of the slider along the first direction and the second direction,
The release portion is provided at the other end of the slider along the first direction and the second direction, protrudes in a direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and is configured to resist external force. when the external force applying section is moved in the first direction, the holding mechanism releases the holding of the lid by coming into contact with the holding mechanism;
The electronic device according to any one of appendices 1 to 4, characterized in that:
[Additional note 6]
The holding mechanism is
A first time in which the lid part is rotated in a holding direction when the lid part is closed to restrict the opening operation by holding the lid part, and the holding is released by rotating in a holding release direction opposite to the holding direction. a moving member;
When the lid portion is closed, it rotates in the fitting direction, thereby fitting into the first rotating member to restrict rotation in the holding release direction, and moving in the fitting release direction opposite to the fitting direction. a second rotating member that releases the fitting by rotating;
The release portion releases the holding of the lid portion by the first rotation member by contacting the second rotation member when the external force application portion is moved in the first direction by an external force. ,
The electronic device according to appendix 5, characterized in that:
[Additional note 7]
an apparatus main body including a printing unit that is movable between a printing position approaching a transport unit that transports a printing medium and a separate position separating from the transport unit;
a lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the device main body;
a holding mechanism that holds the lid and holds the printing unit at the printing position when the lid is closed with respect to the apparatus main body;
a pressing part provided on the bottom of the device main body or the side of the device main body;
The apparatus includes an external force applying section provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body, and a releasing section that releases the holding of the lid section and the printing section by the holding mechanism, and the external force applying section is caused to press against the pressing section by an external force. a slider that releases the holding of the lid part and the printing part by the holding mechanism via the release part by being moved in a first direction toward the slider;
an elastic member that is held between a first wall provided on the slider and a second wall provided on the device main body, and urges the slider in a second direction opposite to the first direction; ,
Equipped with
A printing device characterized by:

10: Printing device (electronic device)
10a: Top surface 10b: Bottom surface 10c: Front surface 10d: Rear surface 10e: Side surface 10f: Side surface 11: Apparatus body 12: Lid section 13: Print head 14: Platen roller 15: Tape cutter 16: Tape cartridge mounting section 17: Tape cartridge 18: Tape discharge port 20: Holding mechanism 21: Push-in protrusion 22: Switch lever (first rotating member)
23: Push lever (second rotating member)
23e: Operated projection 24: Head arm 25: Push lever return spring 26: Head pressing spring 27: Slider 30: Operating member 31: Base part (external force applying part)
32: Finger rest part (external force application part)
33: Coupling protrusion 34: Fitting cylinder part 40: Transmission member 41: Release part 42: Coupling part 42a: Support wall 42c: Fitting protrusion 43: Spring support part 43a: First wall part 43b: Side wall part 43c: Positioning protrusion 43d: Support rib 43e: Recess 50: Slider biasing spring (elastic member)
60: Base member 61: First support plate 62: Second support plate 63: Guide rib 64: Accommodation space 65: Spring support portion 65a: Second wall portion 65b: Top wall portion 70: Bottom unit (bottom of main body)
71 : Housing 71a : Top wall part 71b : Front wall part 71c : Rear wall part 71d : End wall part 71e : End wall part (holding part)
71f : Partition wall part 71g : Notch 72 : Bottom cover 73 : Accommodation part 74 : External power terminal 75 : Power supply connector 77 : Battery box 78 : Assembly part 78a : Through hole 78b : Standing wall part X1 : First direction X2 : First direction 2 direction

Claims (7)

A lid part that can be opened and closed with respect to the main body of the device,
a holding mechanism that holds the lid in a state in which the lid is closed with respect to the device main body;
a presser provided on the bottom of the device main body or the side of the device main body;
The device has an external force applying section provided at the bottom of the device main body, and a releasing section that releases the holding of the lid section by the holding mechanism, and the external force applying section is directed toward the pressing section by an external force. a slider that releases the holding of the lid part by the holding mechanism via the releasing part when moved in the direction;
an elastic member that is held between a first wall portion provided on the slider and a second wall portion provided on the device main body, and urges the slider in a second direction opposite to the first direction; ,
Equipped with
An electronic device characterized by: A housing portion opened downward is provided at the bottom of the device main body,
The external force applying section is provided within the housing section so as to be able to apply an external force in the first direction,
The holding part is a part of a wall surrounding the housing part,
The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first direction and the second direction are longitudinal directions of the bottom of the device main body,
The accommodating portion is provided at a longitudinal end of the bottom of the device main body,
The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A connector for connecting electrical wiring can be connected within the housing part,
The external force applying section is provided at a position movable in the first direction and the second direction while the connector is connected to the housing section.
The electronic device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The external force applying section is provided at one end of the slider along the first direction and the second direction,
The release portion is provided at the other end of the slider along the first direction and the second direction, protrudes in a direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and is configured to resist external force. when the external force applying section is moved in the first direction, the holding mechanism releases the holding of the lid by coming into contact with the holding mechanism;
The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The holding mechanism is
A first time in which the lid part is rotated in a holding direction when the lid part is closed to restrict the opening operation by holding the lid part, and the holding is released by rotating in a holding release direction opposite to the holding direction. a moving member;
When the lid portion is closed, it rotates in the fitting direction, thereby fitting into the first rotating member to restrict rotation in the holding release direction, and moving in the fitting release direction opposite to the fitting direction. a second rotating member that releases the fitting by rotating;
The release portion releases the holding of the lid portion by the first rotation member by contacting the second rotation member when the external force application portion is moved in the first direction by an external force. ,
The electronic device according to claim 5, characterized in that: an apparatus main body that includes a printing unit that is movable between a printing position approaching a transporting unit that transports a printing medium and a remote position separating from the transporting unit;
a lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the device main body;
a holding mechanism that holds the lid and holds the printing unit at the printing position when the lid is closed with respect to the apparatus main body;
a presser provided on the bottom of the device main body or the side of the device main body;
The device includes an external force applying section provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body, and a releasing section that releases the holding of the lid section and the printing section by the holding mechanism, and the external force applying section is caused to press against the pressing section by an external force. a slider that releases the holding of the lid part and the printing part by the holding mechanism via the release part by being moved in a first direction toward the slider;
an elastic member that is held between a first wall portion provided on the slider and a second wall portion provided on the device main body, and urges the slider in a second direction opposite to the first direction; ,
Equipped with
A printing device characterized by:

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