JPH02162076A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to insert a blank form and an ink ribbon smoothly, and to return a platen gap automatically to a printing gap for printing by controlling the platen gap so that the platen gap is widened up to a position set by a platen-gap manual control means when the blank form is inserted or the ink ribbon is exchanged and so that the platen gap is narrowed by a fixed quantity in printing. CONSTITUTION:A platen-gap regulating plate 22 is turned up to a position limited by a platen-gap manual control lever 5 by a platen-gap adjusting motor 21, and a platen gap can be widened. When a blank form is inserted or an ink ribbon is exchanged, the platen gap is broadened up to the position limited by the platen-gap manual control lever 5, and the insertion of the blank form or the exchange of the ink ribbon is conducted smoothly. The platen-gap adjusting motor 21 is rotated in the direction that the platen gap is narrowed by a fixed quantity on the start of printing after the blank form is inserted or the ink ribbon is exchanged, and the platen gap is returned to the platen gap at the time of printing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printer that can take an appropriate gap when inserting paper into a printer, replacing an ink ribbon, and printing. .

[Conventional technology]

Adjust the printer's platen gap to ensure smooth paper insertion, to print properly depending on the thickness of the paper, or to temporarily widen the platen gap when replacing the ink ribbon. be exposed.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional manual platen gap adjustment device in which a platen gap adjustment lever 5 is manually moved.
The shaft 6 supported by the frame 1 is rotated, the eccentric cam fixed to the tip of the shaft 6 is rotated, and the platen fixing plate 2 engaged with this cam is moved back and forth as shown in FIG. move it,
A day tent 4 is provided in contact with a platen gap adjustment lever 5 that adjusts the platen gap by moving the platen 7 that is pivotally supported by the platen fixing plate, and the platen gap adjustment lever 5 slides with a click feeling. It can be moved and held in a fixed position.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, the platen gap adjusted during printing is very narrow, and as shown in FIG. has the problem that it gets caught on the print head 8 and cannot be inserted smoothly. In addition, it is extremely inefficient to repeat the process of operating the platen gap adjustment lever 5 to widen the gap to the appropriate gap for paper insertion each time a sheet is inserted, and then adjusting it again to the gap for printing after feeding the paper. Become.

In such a case, it may be possible to control the print head 8 by moving it to the left or right end so that it does not interfere with the paper path, but in this case, the cut paper 10 immediately after being fed is generally moved to the paper presser lever. Because it is not held down to the platen by
There is a problem in that when the print head 8 is moved to the center for printing, the edge of the paper gets caught in the print head 8.

Furthermore, impact printers use ink ribbons, and when replacing the ink ribbon, the platen gap, which is set to a predetermined amount for printing, must be widened and then adjusted to its original position after replacing the ink ribbon. There is an issue of having to do this.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and its purpose is to easily obtain a platen gap that allows paper and ink ribbon to be inserted smoothly, and also to provide a platen gap that allows paper and ink ribbon to be inserted smoothly. To provide a printer that automatically returns to a print gap set to a predetermined amount for printing.

[Means to solve the problem]

The printer of the present invention includes a platen gap adjustment motor for adjusting the gap between the platen and the print head, and when the platen gap adjustment motor rotates in a direction to widen the platen gap, the motor rotates so that the platen gap does not widen beyond a certain position. The present invention is characterized in that it includes a platen gap regulating means for stopping the platen gap or preventing the platen gap from widening, and a manual platen gap adjusting means for adjusting the absolute position of the platen gap regulating means with respect to the platen.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration of the present invention, when inserting paper between the platen and the print head or replacing the ink ribbon, the platen gap regulating means set at a predetermined position by the platen gap manual adjustment means is used. to the position,
After being widened by the platen gap adjustment motor, the platen gap adjustment motor is controlled to rotate in a direction that narrows the platen gap by a predetermined amount during printing, so that the platen gap is adjusted by the manual platen gap adjustment means. The gap between the platen and the print head can be adjusted, and the gap between the platen and the print head, which is set to a predetermined amount for printing, can be returned after inserting paper or replacing the ink ribbon.

〔Example〕

FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of the present invention. The platen 7 is pivotally supported by a platen fixing plate 2, and the fixing plate 2 is provided with a horizontally long guide hole 24 and a vertically long hole 25. A guide pin 11 fixed to the frame 1 passes through the guide hole 24, and an eccentric cam 3 fixed to a shaft 6 pivotally supported by the frame 1 is engaged with the hole 25. A platen gap manual adjustment lever 5 is fixed to the frame 1', a platen and a gap regulation plate 22 are fixed to the shaft 6, and a shaft of a platen gap adjustment motor 21 fixed to the frame 1 is fixed to the end thereof. A detent 4 is provided in contact with the side surface of the manual platen gap adjustment lever 5, and the manual platen gap adjustment lever 5 can be held at any position.

Since this device is configured as described above, the platen gap regulating plate 22 can be rotated by the platen gap adjustment motor 21 to the position limited by the platen gap manual adjustment lever 5 to widen the platen gap, and the paper can be inserted. When replacing the ink ribbon or when replacing the ink ribbon, the platen gap is widened to the position limited by the manual platen gap adjustment lever 5, and paper insertion or ink ribbon replacement can be performed smoothly.

After inserting the paper or replacing the ink ribbon, the platen gap adjustment motor 21 is rotated by a predetermined amount in a direction to narrow the platen gap at the start of printing, thereby returning the platen gap to the one used for printing.

By controlling in this way, the platen gap during printing is defined as a position where the platen gap is narrowed by a certain amount from the position limited by the platen gap manual adjustment lever 5, and by moving the platen gap manual adjustment lever 5, The platen gap during printing can be adjusted.

Here, since the platen gap adjustment motor 21 needs to be rotated by controlling a predetermined amount or a predetermined angle, a step motor (pulse motor) or a servo motor whose rotation angle can be controlled is used.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, if the gap between the platen and the print head is manually adjusted to a predetermined amount, even if the gap between the platen and the print head is widened when inserting paper or replacing the ink ribbon. Since it is possible to repeat the above-mentioned manually adjusted gap between the platen and the print head, paper insertion or ink ribbon replacement can be performed smoothly, and the platen and printing after paper insertion or ink ribbon replacement can be performed repeatedly. This has the effect that readjustment of the head gap becomes unnecessary.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional printer that manually adjusts the platen gap, Fig. 2 is a detailed view of its cam part, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of paper insertion using an inserter, and Fig. 4 is an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example printer; FIG. Applicant Seiko Epson Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Kizobe Shimizu and 1 other person Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] It has a platen and a print head, and when inserting paper between the platen and print head or replacing the ink ribbon, widen the gap between the platen and the print head to insert the paper or replace the ink ribbon. In a printer to be replaced, a platen gap adjustment motor is used to adjust the gap between the platen and the print head, and when the platen gap adjustment motor rotates in a direction to widen the platen gap, the motor rotates to prevent the platen gap from widening beyond a certain point. A platen gap regulating means for stopping the platen gap or regulating the platen gap from widening, a manual platen gap adjusting means for adjusting the absolute position of the platen gap regulating means with respect to the platen, and inserting paper between the platen and the print head. When printing or replacing the ink ribbon, the platen gap adjustment motor spreads it to the position of the platen gap regulating means set at a predetermined position by the platen gap manual adjustment means, and then the platen is expanded by a predetermined amount when printing. By controlling the platen gap adjustment motor to rotate in a direction to narrow the gap, the platen gap manual adjustment means can adjust the gap between the platen and the print head during printing, and set it to a predetermined amount for printing. The printer is characterized in that the gap between the platen and the print head is opened again after paper is inserted into the gap between the platen and the print head, or after the ink ribbon is replaced.