JPH0225641Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Purpose of the Invention" Industrial Application Field This invention relates to a serial printer that prints on printing paper via a thermal transfer ribbon while moving a thermal head along a platen.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention This invention consists of an operating piece that engages a part of the carriage on which the thermal head is placed and moves the thermal head between a position where it is pressed against the platen and a position where it is separated from the platen. There is no need to provide the thermal head over the entire movement range of the carriage along the platen, and the thermal head is independent of the ribbon guide for guiding the thermal transfer ribbon via the guide shaft for guiding and supporting the carriage on which the thermal head is placed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a serial printer that can be directly rotated to the two positions mentioned above and whose operating configuration can be simplified.

"Structure of the invention" Means for solving the problem In order to solve the above problem, this invention
a guide shaft having a non-circular cross section supported rotatably around an axis extending parallel to the platen; a first carriage provided with a ribbon guide for guiding the thermal transfer ribbon; and a rotation that engages with a guide provided on the first carriage and parallel to the axis of the guide shaft on the frame. a stop portion supported on the guide shaft so as to be able to move integrally with the first carriage along its axis and rotate integrally with the guide shaft, and on which the thermal head is mounted; a second carriage, and a head actuating member connected to the guide shaft and configured to move the thermal head between a first position in which the thermal head is pressed against the platen and a second position in which the thermal head is separated from the thermal head. It is.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the serial printer of this embodiment, a platen 2 is rotatably supported on a frame 1. Further, a guide shaft 3 having a non-circular cross section such as an oval shape is disposed on the frame 1 and is connected to the platen 2.
is rotatably supported around an axis extending parallel to the

A first carriage 4 is supported on the guide shaft 3 so as to be movable in the print line direction and relatively rotatable around the guide shaft 3, with its circular cylindrical portion 4a fitted therein. A pair of ribbon guide portions 5 are protruded from the upper part of the first carriage 4, and are adapted to guide the thermal transfer ribbon 6 along the printing lines. As shown in FIG. 3, the frame 1 has a guide section 7.
is provided protrudingly parallel to the axis of the guide shaft 3, and a rotation preventing portion 8 is formed protrudingly formed on the first carriage 4 so as to engage with the guide portion 7 thereof.

A recess 4b that opens at the rear and top surfaces is formed in the center of the rear of the first carriage 4, and within the recess 4b, the second carriage 9 is mounted on the guide shaft 3 with its oval-shaped cylindrical portion. It is fitted and supported at 9a so that it can move integrally with the first carriage 4 along the axis of the guide shaft 3 and rotate integrally with the guide shaft 3. A thermal head 10 is placed on the second carriage 9 so as to be located between the pair of ribbon guide parts 5,
As the second carriage 9 rotates, a first position where it is crimped onto the platen 2 as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2 and a second position where it is separated from the platen 2 as shown by the chain line in the same figure. It is now being moved between With the thermal head 10 moved to the first position, printing is performed on the printing paper on the platen 2 via the thermal transfer ribbon 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, an operating lever 11 is fixed to one end of the guide shaft 3. As shown in FIG. A rotary lever 12 is rotatably supported on one side of the frame 1 so as to correspond to the operating lever 11, and a connecting link 12 is provided between the levers 11 and 12.
3 is provided. Further, the rotary lever 12 is biased to rotate clockwise in FIG. 2 by a spring (not shown), and based on the spring force, the second lever 12 is
The carriage 9 is biased to rotate toward a second position shown in chain lines in FIG.

A monostable latching solenoid 14 as a head actuating member is provided on one side of the frame 1, and its armature 15 is connected to the pivot lever 12. Note that after the armature 15 is retracted due to the instantaneous energization of the latching solenoid 14, it is self-held by a permanent magnet built into the solenoid 14, and the armature 15
is held in the retracted position. As the armature 15 moves in the retracting direction, the rotating lever 12 is rotated against the biasing force of the spring to the position shown in FIG. The guide shaft 3 is rotated via the lever 11, and the thermal head 10 on the second carriage 9 is moved to the first position.

Therefore, in the serial printer of this embodiment, when performing a printing operation, the solenoid 14 is
When energized, it resists the biasing force of a spring (not shown),
After the armature 15 is moved in the retracting direction and only the second carriage 9 is rotated integrally with the guide shaft 3 via each lever 11, 12, link 13 and guide shaft 3, the armature 15 is Based on self-holding, the thermal head 10 is placed and held in the first position shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, and in this state, the thermal head 10 is heated and
By moving both carriages 4 and 9 to the right along the platen 2, printing is performed on the printing paper on the platen 2 via the thermal transfer ribbon 6 between the ribbon guides 5.

Furthermore, when a restoration current is applied to the solenoid 14 after the printing operation for one line is completed, the armature 15
is released from self-holding, and only the second carriage 9 is moved to the guide shaft 3 via the respective levers 11, 12, the link 13, and the guide shaft 3 based on the biasing force of the spring.
2, and the thermal head 10 is placed in the second position shown by the chain line in FIG. Thereafter, by moving both carriages 4 and 9 to the left along the platen 2, the thermal head 1
Both carriages 4 and 9 can be returned to the left margin position while the carriage 0 is separated from the platen 2.

It should be noted that this invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-mentioned embodiments, and it is also possible to embody the invention by changing the configuration of each part arbitrarily within a range that does not depart from the spirit of this invention.

Effects of the Device As detailed above, this device engages with a part of the carriage on which the thermal head is mounted, and moves the thermal head between a position where it is pressed against the platen and a position where it is separated from the platen. It is not necessary to provide the strip along the platen over the entire range of movement of the carriage, and the thermal head can be connected to the ribbon guide for guiding the thermal transfer ribbon via the guide shaft for guiding and supporting the carriage on which the thermal head is placed. It has the excellent effect that it can be directly rotated to the above two positions regardless of the relationship, and that its operating configuration can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial front view of a serial printer showing an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the second carriage portion, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the first carriage portion. 1 is a frame, 2 is a platen, 3 is a guide shaft, 4
1 is a first carriage, 5 is a ribbon guide, 6 is a thermal transfer ribbon, 7 is a guide, 8 is a rotation stopper, 9 is a second carriage, 10 is a thermal head, 14
is a solenoid as a head actuating member.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A serial printer that prints on printing paper via a thermal transfer ribbon 6 while moving a thermal head 10 along a platen 2, which is rotatable around an axis extending parallel to the platen 2. a supported guide shaft 3 with a non-circular cross section; and a ribbon supported to be movable in the print line direction on the guide shaft 3 and relatively rotatable around the guide shaft 3, and for guiding the thermal transfer ribbon 6. a first carriage 4 provided with a guide portion 5; and a detent portion provided on the first carriage 4 and engaged with a guide portion 7 provided on the frame 1 in parallel to the axis of the guide shaft 3. 8, supported so as to be able to move integrally with the first carriage 4 along its axis on the guide shaft 3 and rotate integrally with the guide shaft 3, and the thermal head 10 is a mounted second carriage 9; and a head connected to the guide shaft 3 for moving the thermal head 10 between a first position in which it is pressed against the platen 2 and a second position in which it is separated from the thermal head 10. A serial printer characterized in that it is equipped with an actuating member 14.