JPH04319465A - Serial printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a breadth of a printer as small as possible avoiding protrusion of a flat cable toward a side of a travelling area of a head block. CONSTITUTION:A flat cable 6 is extended from a connection to a print head 7 along the periphery of a carriage 9 in the travelling direction so as to reach an end of the carriage 9, fixed to the carriage 9 in a state that it is folded back to the opposite side at the end of the carriage 9. Therefore, even if a head block 4 is positioned on an end of a travelling area L when the head block 4 is travelling, the flat cable 6 does not protrude to the outside of the travelling area L of the head block 4 so that the breadth of a printer can be made to be as small as possible.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a serial printer in which a head block having a print head is movable in a direction perpendicular to a paper feeding direction.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In a serial printer, a circuit board for controlling the operation of a print head is fixedly disposed at a location separated from a head block. The circuit board and print head are connected using a flexible flat cable.
Drive signals are supplied from the circuit board to the print head through this flat cable.

By the way, it is necessary to arrange the flat cable in such a way that it does not interfere with the running of the head block, and also so that it does not break due to excessive tensile force acting on it when the head block runs. As shown in the figure, the middle part of the flat cable 20 was curved in a U-shape between the head block 21 and the circuit board 22 and extended in the traveling direction of the head block 21 (direction of arrow A). (Jikko No. 59-15557, Jikko No. 6
No. 1-5658, Utility Model No. 61-5659, Utility Model No. 2-
No. 34050). That is, a curved part 20a is provided at the middle part of the flat cable 20 to loosen the middle part of the flat cable 20, and this slack allows the head block 21 to run and prevents any tensile force from acting on the flat cable 20. Ta.

0004

However, in the conventional structure described above, when the head block 21 is positioned at one end of its running area B, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. It protrudes to the side of area B and becomes an obstacle in reducing the width of the printer. That is, in order to prevent tensile force from acting on the flat cable 20 when the head block 21 is located at the end position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. It is necessary to protrude to the side of the running area B, and securing this protrusion amount d has been an obstacle in reducing the width of the printer.

An object of the present invention is to reduce the width of a printer as much as possible.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is a serial printer in which a head block having a print head is provided so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction, and is fixedly disposed at a location apart from the head block. A circuit board is provided for controlling the operation of the print head, and the intermediate portion is curved in a U-shape between the circuit board and the head block, and extends in the running direction of the head block. a flexible flat cable that electrically connects the print head, and a cable fixture that fixes the flat cable to the head block near the connection part with the print head. It is characterized in that it extends in the running direction of the block, reaches the end of the head block, is folded back to the opposite side at the end of the head block, and is fixed to the head block via a cable fixture.

[0007]

[Function] According to the serial printer of the present invention, the cable fixing device fixes the flat cable to the head block with its end folded back to the opposite side. It can be curved so that it does not protrude to the sides of the area.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A serial printer to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. ◆In this serial printer, as shown in FIG. 1, side plates 1a are formed on both sides of a base 1, and a head block 4 is supported between the side plates 1a via guide shafts 2 and 3. 1 upper plate 1b
The circuit board 5 is placed on it via a fixing means (not shown),
A flat cable 6 is disposed between the head block 4 and the circuit board 5 to electrically connect them.

The head block 4 is provided with a print head 7, to which one end of a flat cable 6 is connected. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the print head 7 is integrally formed with a U-shaped bearing 7a that is slidably fitted to one guide shaft 2 at one end, and a U-shaped bearing 7a is integrally formed at the other end. A carriage 9 that is slidably fitted to the other guide shaft 3 is attached via a fixture 10 and is guided by the guide shafts 2 and 3 in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of recording paper (not shown) (direction of arrow C). It is possible to run on it.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the carriage 9 has a U-shaped belt receiver 9a formed at its upper end, and a portion of the timing belt 11 is fixed to this belt receiver 9a. The timing belt 11 is connected to the print head 7
It is wound around pulleys 12 (one pulley is omitted in FIG. 1) on both sides of the running area.

The timing belt 11 is rotationally driven by the driving force of a carriage motor (not shown), and in response to this driving force, a moving force is applied to the carriage 9 to move the print head 7.
is designed to be driven.

As shown in FIG. 4, this carriage 9 has fitting recesses 9b formed on both sides in the width direction on the mounting side of the print head 7, and both fitting recesses 9b.
A mounting hole 9c is formed therebetween, and, as shown in FIG. 6, a locking hole 9e is formed on the side opposite to the mounting side of the print head 7, which is perpendicular to the mounting hole 9c and communicates with the mounting hole 9c.

As shown in FIG. 4, the print head 7 has fitting pieces 7b inserted and fitted into the fitting recesses 9b of the carriage 9 at both ends in the width direction on the side where it is attached to the carriage 9.
A pair of engaging claws 7c are formed between both the fitting pieces 7b to be inserted into and engaged with the mounting holes 9c of the carriage 9, and a pair of engaging claws 7c are formed between both the engaging claws 7c and the carriage 9 together with the engaging claws 7c. A mounting piece 7d is formed to be inserted into the mounting hole 9c of 9.

The fitting piece 7b positions the print head 7 with respect to the carriage 9 by fitting into the fitting recess 9b. As shown in FIG. 6, the fitting piece 7b is formed to become gradually thinner from the base to the tip, and can be inserted into and pulled out from the fitting recess 9b when the fixture 10 is removed. The diameter of the fitting recess 9b of the carriage 9 is gradually reduced in the direction of insertion of the fitting piece 7b in accordance with the shape of the fitting piece 7b.

The engagement claw 7c is adapted to temporarily fix the print head 7 to the carriage 9 by engaging with the mounting hole 9c of the carriage 9. In the mounting hole 9c of the carriage 9,
A stepped portion 9d is formed that expands the diameter of the inner part of the engaging claw 7c in the insertion direction, and the engaging claw 7c is engaged with this stepped portion 9d. The engaging claws 7c can be elastically deformed in the direction toward each other, so that they can be inserted into and removed from the mounting hole 9c of the carriage 9 in the same direction as the insertion and removal direction of the fitting piece 7b when the fixture 10 is removed. It has become.

The mounting piece 7d is configured to be able to be inserted into and removed from the mounting hole 9c of the carriage 9 in the same direction as the insertion and removal direction of the fitting piece 7b together with the engaging claw 7c when the fitting 10 is removed. A partition plate 9f is formed in the mounting hole 9c of the carriage 9 between the mounting piece 7d and one of the engaging claws 7c to prevent incorrect insertion of the mounting piece 7d from the reverse direction. That is, when the attachment piece 7d is inserted into the attachment hole 9c of the carriage 9 from the front and back sides, the attachment piece 7d comes into contact with the partition plate 9f, and further insertion of the attachment piece 7d is prevented.

The mounting piece 7d is designed to cross the locking hole 9e of the carriage 9 when the print head 7 is temporarily fixed (see FIG. 6). A rectangular locking hole 7 is provided at the tip of the mounting piece 7d in a portion facing the locking hole 9e of the carriage 9.
e is formed.

The fixture 10 is made of a metal plate, and as shown in FIG. 6, a lock piece 10b is formed at right angles on one side of a flat board 10a. The lock piece 10b is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
As shown in FIG.
The mounting piece 7d is fixed in the mounting hole 9c of the carriage 9 in a manner that cannot be removed. A protrusion 10c is formed on the lock piece 10b from the base to the vicinity of the tip, and the protrusion 10c inserts and locks into the locking hole 7e of the print head 7 by frictional force. This protrusion 10c also has the role of pushing the print head 7 out of the temporarily fixed state and fitting the fitting piece 7b of the print head 7 into the fitting recess 9b of the carriage 9. That is, when the print head 7 is in a temporarily fixed state, the locking hole 7e of the print head 7 is positioned slightly shifted from the locking hole 9e of the carriage 9 toward the extraction side of the attachment piece 7d. Then, in this temporarily fixed state, the lock piece 10b
is inserted into the locking hole 7e of the print head 7 through the locking hole 9e of the carriage 9, the print head is adjusted by the projection 10c so that the locking hole 7e of the print head 7 is aligned with the locking hole 9e of the carriage 9. 7 is pushed in, and as a result of this pushing, the fitting piece 7b of the print head 7 is fitted into the fitting recess 9b of the carriage 9.

As shown in FIG. 6, this fixture 10 has a detection piece 10d formed at one end of the board 10a, and a comb-shaped cable fixing device on one side of the board 10a, along with a locking piece 10b. Cable holding piece 10e as
10f is formed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the detection piece 10d is placed against the upper surface of the carriage 9 together with the substrate 10a, and is used as a detection section of the home sensor 13. As shown in FIG. 6, a receiving groove 9f into which the lower end of the detection piece 10d is fitted is formed on the upper surface of the carriage 9, and the detection piece 10d is positioned by this receiving groove 9f. The home sensor 13 is a photointerrupter type sensor, and has a light receiving section 13a and a light emitting section 13b as shown in FIG.
When the detection piece 10d enters between the light emitting portion 3a and the light emitting portion 13b, this is detected.

The cable holding pieces 10e and 10f are arranged side by side in the width direction on the back side of the carriage 9, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and are used for fixing the flat cable 6 to the carriage 9. As shown in FIG. 4, the cable holding piece 10e holds the flat cable 6 between itself and the outer periphery of the carriage 9, and the cable holding piece 10f holds the flat cable 6 between the outer periphery of the carriage 9 and
is holding. The cable holding pieces 10e and 10f are elastically deformable in directions toward and away from the outer circumference of the carriage 9, and clamp the flat cable 6 between them and the outer circumference of the carriage 9 with elastic force.

As shown in FIG. 6, the flat cable 6 is passed between the print head 7 and the carriage 9, pulled out to the back side of the carriage 9, and bent at right angles on the back side of the carriage 9 so as to extend in the width direction of the carriage 9. The cable holding piece 10e is held between the cable holding piece 10e and the outer periphery of the carriage 9 at this bent portion. Further, the flat cable 6 extends in the width direction of the carriage 9 from the bent part on the back side of the carriage 9, and is folded back to the opposite side at the width direction end of the carriage 9, and at this folded part, the cable holding piece 10f and the outer periphery of the carriage 9 are bent. is held between. As shown in FIG. 3, the cable holding piece 10f has a curved piece 10g formed on the folded side of the flat cable 6, and this curved piece 10g prevents the flat cable 6 from being damaged.

A U-shaped curved portion 6a is formed in the intermediate portion of the flat cable 6, and is curved in a U-shape between the head block 4 and the base 1 in the running direction of the head block 4. It has been extended. The size of the curved portion 6a is set so as to allow the head block 4 to travel and to prevent tensile force from acting on the flat cable 6 due to the travel of the head block 4. That is, the head block 4 is allowed to run due to the slack created by the curved portion 6a, and no tensile force is applied to the flat cable 6.

The end of the flat cable 6 on the side connected to the circuit board 5 is bent obliquely in the longitudinal direction in front of the front plate 1c of the base 1, pulled out onto the upper plate 1b of the base 1, and then pulled out onto the upper plate 1b of the base 1. It is connected to the circuit board 5 on the upper plate 1b of the table 1 via a connector (not shown). As shown in FIG. 6, the base 1 is formed with a locking claw 1d that clamps the flat cable 6 between it and the front plate 1c. It is locked in a bent position. Further, locking claws 1e, 1e are formed on the base 1 to clamp the flat cable 6 between it and the top plate 1b, and the flat cable 6 is joined to the top plate 1b by the locking claws 1e, 1e. locked in the state.

According to the above configuration, the flat cable 6
extends from the connection part to the print head 7 along the outer periphery of the carriage 9 in the running direction, and is fixed at the end of the carriage 9 in a state where it is folded back to the opposite side, as shown in FIG. Even if the head block 4 is located at the end of the running area L, the flat cable 6 does not protrude to the side of the running area L of the head block 4, and the width of the printer can be made as small as possible.

In the above embodiment, the cable holding piece 10 is attached to the fixture 10 for fixing the print head 7 to the carriage 9.
e and 10f are formed so that the fitting 10 is also used as a cable fixing device, but a dedicated cable fixing device may be provided to fix the flat cable 6 to the carriage 9. In this case, the cable fixture is attached to carriage 9.
Alternatively, it may be formed integrally with the print head 7.

Further, in the above embodiment, the flat cable 6 is fixed to the carriage 9, but the flat cable 6 may be fixed to the print head 7.

[0028]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the serial printer of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the flat cable from protruding to the side of the running area of the head block, thereby maximizing the width of the printer. It has the excellent effect of being able to be made smaller in size.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a serial printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the main part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line E-E in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing a conventional structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A serial printer in which a head block having a print head is provided so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to a paper feeding direction, the print head operation control being fixedly disposed at a location apart from the head block. A circuit board for electrical connection between the print head and the circuit board, the intermediate portion of which is curved in a U-shape and extends in the running direction of the head block between the circuit board and the head block. and a cable fixture that fixes the flat cable to the head block near the connection part with the print head, and the flat cable is connected to the print head from the connection part to the head block. The cable extends in the running direction of the head block to reach an end of the head block, is bent back to the opposite side at the end of the head block, and is fixed to the head block via the cable fixing device. A serial printer featuring