JPH0139158B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a return-to-zero counter, and more particularly to a return-to-zero counter whose counting drive system is simplified.

[Prior art]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electrical equipment such as copying machines and other equipment and devices are generally equipped with counters for numerically displaying the number of uses, the time of use, and other quantities. This type of counter is equipped with a group of number wheels arranged coaxially to display a multi-digit numerical value, and a plurality of digit feed pinions interposed between these number wheels, and a number wheel of the lowest order. Frequently used are devices in which a shift pinion is rotated to move sequentially toward higher-order number wheels, thereby performing digit transfer between number wheels.

By the way, as the drive mechanism for the lowest number wheel mentioned above, a mechanism consisting of a pole with double claws and a ratchet gear that meshes with the pole is particularly used in electromagnetically actuated counters. This is a system in which the ratchet gear is intermittently rotated by one reciprocating motion of a pole operated by electromagnetic force. However, in this conventional mechanism, the ratchet gear and the lowest numbered wheel cannot be directly connected, and an idle mechanism must be provided between the two.

This is because a normal counter is equipped with a so-called zero return mechanism that sets the displayed value on the number wheels to "0," but in order to operate this zero return mechanism and return to zero, the lowest number wheel must be Of course, it is required to force all the number wheels to move freely (idle rotation state) and forcefully rotate them to the "0" position. For this reason,
In a counter with this kind of configuration, if the ratchet gear, which is always engaged with the pole, is integrated with the lowest numbered wheel, the lowest numbered wheel cannot be brought into a free state, making it impossible to return to zero. It is from. For this reason, there is no choice but to provide the idle mechanism as described above, resulting in a more complex counter structure, larger size, and increased number of parts.

Further, such problems are not limited to the electromagnetically actuated type described above, but also apply to counters in which the pole is actuated by mechanical force.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention has a structure in which a zero return lever is engaged with a pawl that meshes with a ratchet gear, and when the zero return lever operates during zero return operation, the pawl is forcibly moved to release the mesh with the ratchet gear. Even if the ratchet gear is integrally formed on the number wheel, the lowest number wheel can be set in a free state during the zero return operation, allowing the return to zero, thereby simplifying the configuration of the counter and reducing the number of parts. A return-to-zero counter can be obtained.

〔Example〕

1 to 3 are overall configuration diagrams of the counter of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view, and FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view.
3 are a plan view and a cutaway side view. In these figures, the counter 1 includes a base 2 formed into a roughly flat plate shape and a frame 3 formed into a U-shape in plan.
The base 2 and frame 3 are integrally combined to form a housing. Said base 2
A plurality of engagement pieces 4 with the frame 3, a shaft support portion 5 for a zero return lever (to be described later), a push button support groove 6, a bullet cam support rod 7, a contact bullet support groove 8, and other protrusions and holes are formed. are doing. The frame 3 has side walls 3a, 3a and a rear wall 3b, and includes an engagement hole 9 that fits into the engagement piece 4 of the base 2 to integrate the base 2 and the frame 3, a shaft support hole 10, 1
1 and various holes such as an armature support hole 12 are formed.

A main shaft 13 is supported at both ends in the one shaft support hole 10, and a number wheel group 1 consisting of a plurality of number wheels (seven in this example) is mounted on the main shaft 13.
4 are coaxially mounted. The number wheel group 14 has numbers "0" to "9" written on its circumferential surface in the circumferential direction, and a heart cam 15 is integrally formed on one side thereof. The other number wheels except for the number wheel 16 of the lowest digit on the right side of the figure, that is, the number wheel 17 of the most significant digit on the left side of the figure and the other intermediate number wheels 18, are provided with pin gears 19 on the other side, and pin gears 19 are provided on the other side. High number car 17
A segment gear 20 is provided on a part of the circumference on one side of the other numbered wheels 16 and 18. Furthermore, a ratchet gear 21 is integrally formed on the other side of the lowest numbered wheel 16, and an arc-shaped projection 2 is formed on one side of the highest numbered wheel 17 and on a part of the circumference corresponding to the displayed number "9".
2 protrudes in the axial direction. In addition, main shaft 1
3 has a spring 23 between it and the frame side wall 3a.
A washer 24 is mounted on the shaft, and the shaft position of the number wheel group 14 is regulated by this biasing force.

A zero return lever 25 having a generally U-shape and biased clockwise by a spring 52 is disposed at the rear of the numerical wheel group 14, and support shafts 26 protruding from both ends of the lever 25 are connected to the respective shafts. By fitting into the support portion 5, the zero return lever 25 is supported on the base 2 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction. A pinion shaft 27 is supported at both ends of the zero return lever 25, and a plurality of shift pinions 28 (six in this example) are pivotally supported by the pinion shaft 27. Needless to say, these shift pinions 28 are interposed between the number wheels 14, and mesh with the opposing pin gears 19 and segment gears 20 to perform a known shift operation. Further, on the front surface of the zero return lever 25, seven pressing pieces 29 corresponding to the heart cams of each number wheel group 14 are juxtaposed and protruded. Further, at the other end of the zero return lever 25, a pole drive lever 30 having a sliding pin 31 fixed to its tip is provided to protrude upward.

On the other hand, a spool 32 is fixed to the rear wall 3b of the frame 3 at its base end with screws or the like. This spool 32 has a core 33 at the central axis position, and a winding 34 made of thin wire is arranged around the spool 32 to form an electromagnetic structure. A circuit board 35 is integrally fixed to the side of the base end 32a of this spool 32. Components such as a reed switch 36 and a diode 37 are attached to the circuit board 35.
In particular, the reed switch 36 is connected to the window 35a of the circuit board 35.
The contact is turned on by the excitation force in the winding 34. Furthermore, this spool 3
One end of an armature 38 made of a piece of ferromagnetic material is supported in the armature support hole 12 at the front position of 2, and the tip 38a of the armature 38 is supported by a spring 39 by electromagnetic force when the winding 34 is energized.
It is adsorbed and moved backward (to the left in the figure) against the urging force of. The spring 39 is hung between a section 38b of the armature 38 and a section 3c of the frame 3.

In addition, other shaft support holes 1 of the frame 3
1 supports a pole shaft 40, and a pole 41 is loosely inserted therein. This pole 41 is the fourth
As shown in the figure, it is formed into a roughly U-shape, and at its upper and lower ends there are ratchet pawls 41 that alternately mesh with the ratchet gear 21 of the lowest numeral wheel 16.
a and 41b are integrally formed, and the lower side of the shaft support has a slightly larger engagement hole 41c into which the tip of the armature 38 is inserted and engaged. Therefore, this pawl 41 is given a rotational force in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing by the force of the spring 39 of the armature 38, and under normal conditions, the lower pawl 41b is engaged with the ratchet gear 21, and the armature 38 is connected to the winding. When the tip 38a is reciprocated in the front and back direction by the excitation force of the pole 4, the pole 4
1, the tip is reciprocated up and down, first downward and then upward, and the upper and lower ratchet claws 41a, 41
b sequentially meshes with the ratchet gear 21 to rotate it step by step in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure together with the lowest numbered wheel 16. Further, a tapered groove 41d is formed on the upper side of the pawl 41, and engages the sliding pin 31 of the pawl drive lever 30 of the zero return lever 25. Due to this engagement relationship, when the zero return lever 25 is reset, the pawl 41 is slightly rotated clockwise in the drawing by the pawl drive lever 30, and the ratchet pawls 41a and 41b are respectively disengaged from the ratchet gear 21. The least significant number wheel 16 is placed in a free state to enable its return to zero.

On the other hand, at the front left end of the base 2, there is provided a push button structure 42 for reset supported by the push button support groove 6 and the like. As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 5, this push button structure 42 is moved directly rearward against the force of a spring 51 suspended between it and the frame 3 when it is manually operated (pushing operation). A push button 43 , a push button cam 44 horizontally rotatably supported by a rod portion 43 a erected on the push button 43 , and a push button cam 44 located behind the push button cam 44 whose rear end is a part of the zero return lever 25 . (the end of the pinion shaft 27) and a push button lever 45 engaged with the pinion shaft 27. The push button 43 is integrally formed with an engaging protrusion 43b that fits into the push button support groove 6 and a bullet cam operating protrusion 43c on the right side of the drawing, and is also provided with a cam spring 46 fitted into the rod portion 43a. Rotate in the counterclockwise direction shown. However, the push button cam 44 comes into contact with the side wall of the frame and its rotation is restricted. The push button cam 44 is provided with an engaging piece 44a projecting upward, which can engage with the protrusion 22 of the uppermost numeral wheel 17 when the push button cam 44 moves rearward. In addition, push button lever 4
5 is supported by the frame 3 by a pin protrusion 45a protruding from one side, and the push button cam 44 is not engaged with this in its normal rotating position, but is moved in a position in which the push button cam 44 is slightly rotated clockwise. A contact portion 45b that can contact the rear end 44b for the first time is integrally formed. Note that the elongated hole 45c provided in the push button lever 45 is an escape hole for the main shaft 13.

Further, a pair of bullet cams 47 and 48 are inserted vertically into the bullet cam support rod 7 of the base 2, as shown in FIG. , 50 lower tongue piece 49a, 50
a are integrally press-fitted and supported. Then, the other end knob 47a of the upper bullet cam 47 is brought into contact with the front side surface of one end of the front contact strip 49, and the other end knob 48a of the lower bullet cam 48 is brought into contact with the rear contact strip 5.
These bullet cams 47,
48 in the counterclockwise and clockwise directions, contact strips 49 and 50 are brought into contact and conduction with each other at each bent portion. It is assumed that the contact strips 49, 50 are connected to an electric lock circuit (not shown). The upper bullet cam 47 is rotated counterclockwise against the spring force of the contact bullet 49 when the actuating protrusion 47b is engaged with the protrusion 22 of the uppermost numeral wheel 17. One end of the side bullet cam 48 is pushed by the bullet cam operating protrusion 43c of the push button 43, so that the contact bullet 50
The relative positions of the number wheel 17 and the push button 43 are determined so that the number wheel 17 and the push button 43 are rotated clockwise against the spring force.

According to the above configuration, each time the winding 34 is energized, the electromagnetic structure mainly including the spool 32 is excited and attracts the armature 38, and when the excitation force is removed, the armature 38 is moved back. . Due to the back and forth movement of this armature 38, the tip 3
The entire pawl 41 engaged with the pawl 8a is swung up and down about the pawl shaft 40, and the reciprocating movement of the upper and lower pawls 41a and 41b causes the ratchet gear 21, i.e., the lowest number wheel 16, to be engaged with the pawl 8a. Rotate in steps of one number. This rotation is sequentially transmitted to the upper digit number wheels through the cooperation of the segment gear 20, shift pinion 28, and pinion 19, and performs a so-called digit shift operation to display the cumulative number on the circumference of each number wheel group 14. It will be displayed numerically.

During this time, when the highest number wheel 17 is displaying "8" or less, the protrusion 22 on one side is in a position other than the front, so even if the reset push button 43 is pressed, the push button cam 44 engages with the protrusion 22. Instead, the push button cam 44 is moved rearward in its normal state, and its rear end does not come into contact with the contact portion 45b of the push button lever 45, so the push button lever 45 is not operated.
No return-to-zero operation is performed. However,
When the highest number wheel 17 shows "9", the protrusion 2
2 is moved to the forward position, the engagement piece 44a of the push cam 44 engages the protrusion 22 as the push button 43 is pushed.
As the push button cam 44 is rotated slightly clockwise against the force of the spring 46, the rear end 44b of the push button cam 44 comes into contact with the contact portion 45b of the push button lever 45 as it moves backward. Touch it and move it backwards as one. As a result, the zero return lever 25 is rotated counterclockwise, and the shift pinion 28 supported by the shift pinion 28 is retracted from between the number wheel group 14 to set the number wheel group 14 in a free state, while the zero return lever 25
This rotation causes the pressing piece 29 to come into contact with the heart cam 15, which is forcibly rotated by the well-known heart cam operation, thereby returning the number wheels 14 to zero.

At this time, when the zero return lever 25 is rotated counterclockwise from the normal state shown in FIG. 7A as shown in FIG. 7B,
Along with this, the sliding pin 31 of the pawl drive lever 30 moves within the tapered groove 41d of the pawl 41, engages with the surface on the left side in the figure, and further pushes this, thereby causing the cam action of the tapered groove surface. Then, the pole 41 is slightly rotated clockwise. As a result, the claw 41
a and 41b are both moved downward by a minute amount, and in particular, the lower pawl 41b is separated from the ratchet gear 21. As a result, both pawls are disengaged from the ratchet gear 21, and the ratchet gear 21, that is, The lowest number wheel 16 is made free. Therefore, like the other number wheels 17 and 18, the above-mentioned zero return operation of the lowest number wheel 16 is enabled.

On the other hand, the reed switch 36 on the circuit board 35 is turned on by the excitation of the electromagnet structure, and the counting operation of the counter is sent as an electric signal to a circuit not shown.

Furthermore, when the counting progresses until the highest number wheel 17 displays "9", the protrusion 22 on one side thereof is positioned forward, so that the operating protrusion 47b of the upper bullet cam 47 is aligned with the protrusion 22. When engaged, the strip cam 47 is rotated counterclockwise to actuate the contact strip 49 and turn on the contact. This is used as a predetermined count signal to operate an electric lock circuit (not shown), thereby disabling, for example, a copying machine.

Further, when the above-mentioned zero return operation is performed by the push button 43, one end of the push button 43 is engaged with the bullet cam operating protrusion 43c, and the lower bullet cam 48 is rotated clockwise, thereby operating the contact bullet 50. Turn on the contact and activate the electric lock circuit (not shown) in the same way as above.

Therefore, in this counter, the lowest number car 1
6 is integrally formed with the ratchet gear 21, and the lowest number wheel 16 can be brought into a free state during the zero return operation without providing an idle mechanism between the two.
The lowest number wheel can be reset to zero. Thereby, the structure corresponding to the idle mechanism can be simplified, the number of parts can be reduced, and the size can be reduced.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and the shape, structure, etc. of each part may be modified or changed as appropriate. For example, the engagement relationship between the zero return lever and the pawl is not limited to the illustrated example; a cam protrusion may be formed on the pawl side, and the pole drive lever end of the zero return lever may be brought into contact with this. Of course,
The zero return lever may be brought into direct contact. Further, the pole driving structure is not limited to the electromagnet structure of the embodiment, but may be a structure in which the pole is operated by mechanical force.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, a tapered groove is formed in the pawl that meshes with the ratchet gear, and the pawl drive lever provided on the zero return lever is engaged with this taper groove, so that the pawl drive lever presses the tapered groove surface during the zero return operation. Since the zero return lever is forcibly released from the meshing state with the ratchet gear, the pole can be reliably released from the mesh with the ratchet gear when returning to zero. This enables the zero return operation of the lowest digit wheel.

In addition, in the action of releasing the pole, the pole drive lever moves along the tapered surface of the tapered groove and presses it, so the wedge action causes the pole drive lever to swing the pole with a small force. As a result, an increase in operating force during the zero return operation can be prevented and operability can be improved.

Furthermore, this configuration can be configured by simply changing the shape of a part of the zero return lever and pole that have been conventionally provided, so other parts are not required, preventing the counter structure from becoming complicated, and reducing the number of parts. This is advantageous for reducing the number of points and downsizing.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of the counter of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view, Fig. 3 is a cutaway side view, Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the pole portion, Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the push button structure, Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the contact portion, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the push button structure. Figures A and B are action explanatory diagrams. 1...Counter, 2...Base, 3...Frame, 1
4...Number wheel group, 16...Lowest number wheel, 21...Ratchet gear, 25...Zero return lever, 28...Digit feed pinion, 30...Pall drive lever, 31...Sliding contact pin, 32...Spool, 34...Winding wire, 38... Armature, 39... Spring, 41... Pole, 4
1a, 41b...claw, 41d...tapered groove, 42...push button structure, 43...push button, 44...push button cam, 45...push button lever, 47, 48...bullet cam, 49, 50...
Contact bullet.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A group of digit wheels of multiple digits, a digit pinion that is interposed between these digit wheels and performs a digit feeding operation, and a digit wheel that supports the digit pinion and is swingably supported by a counter housing. a zero return lever that separates the digit pinion from the numerical wheel group and returns the numerical wheel group to zero when the numerical wheel group is turned off; a ratchet gear coaxially disposed integrally with the lowest numerical wheel of the numerical wheel group; A counter that is swingably supported and includes a pawl that meshes with the ratchet gear and rotationally drives the ratchet gear when the pole is rocked back and forth,
The zero return lever is integrally formed with a pole drive lever that protrudes in the radial direction, and the pole is formed with a tapered groove that can be engaged with the pole drive lever, and this tapered groove is formed when the zero return lever is set to zero. The pawl drive lever is configured in such a shape that when it is swung to the return position, the pawl can press against the tapered groove surface to forcibly swing the pawl from the engagement position with the ratchet to the disengaged position. Features a zero return counter.