JPH04345455A - Tractor feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set a fan fold paper by slipping the timing of the left side apertures and the right side apertures independently, to allow to set them not simultaneously, and to make the setting of the fan fold paper to a tractor feeder easier so as to save labor, to reduce a failure of setting extensively, and to prevent setting error. CONSTITUTION:This tractor feeder is a tractor feeder 6 to set and convey fan fold papers P used for various sorts of printers, and the right side tractor pin group 10 and the left side tractor pin group 18 are arranged at the relative positions slipping before and behind. And when a fan fold paper P is set, at first one side apertures, the right side apertures 4, for example, are fitted to the input side of the corresponding right side tractor pin group 10 and engaged, and then the other side apertures, the left side apertures 5, for example, are fitted to the left side tractor pin group 18 and engaged.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to tractor feeders. That is, the present invention relates to a tractor feeder used in image recording apparatuses such as various printers, and for setting and conveying fanfold paper.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a conventional tractor feeder 1. As shown in the figure, in the conventional tractor feeder 1, the pairs of left and right tractor pins 2 and 3 are arranged symmetrically. It was set up. In other words, the 2nd and 3rd groups of tractor pins arranged in a row at regular intervals on both sides are completely symmetrical along the conveying direction A, that is, the 2nd and 3rd groups of tractor pins on the left and right are arranged in a row on both the paper input side and the output side. They were also provided in a positional relationship that was exactly opposite to each other.

0003

However, in the conventional tractor feeder 1 as described above, it has been pointed out that setting the fanfold paper P is time consuming and that setting errors may occur. That is, when setting the fanfold paper P in the tractor feeder 1, the left and right apertures 4 and 5 of the fanfold paper P are simultaneously connected to the left and right tractor pins 2 and 3 of the tractor feeder 1.
It must be inserted into the input side of the group, like this,
It is easy to hold the fanfold paper P so that it does not tilt with respect to the transport direction A, and simultaneously align and engage the paper input sides of the left and right apertures 4 and 5 with the paper input sides of the tractor pins 2 and 3 groups. It wasn't. Therefore, in the conventional tractor feeder 1, setting the fanfold paper P took a lot of time, and there were many setting errors that caused the setting to fail.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances in order to solve the problems of the conventional example, and by shifting the positional relationship of the left and right tractor pin groups back and forth on the paper input side, the fan The purpose of the present invention is to propose a tractor feeder that can set folded paper independently for each left and right aperture at different timings.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A tractor feeder according to the present invention is used in an image recording device, sets and conveys fanfold paper, and has left and right tractor pin groups arranged in a row at regular intervals on both sides. are provided in a positional relationship shifted back and forth in the conveyance direction with respect to each other on the paper input side.

[0006]

[Operation] In this tractor feeder, the left and right tractor pin groups are provided in a positional relationship shifted back and forth on the paper input side. Therefore, fanfold paper can be set independently for each of the left and right apertures at different timings. First, only one aperture of the left and right is set in line with the paper input side of the corresponding tractor pin group. Then, align the remaining aperture on one side with the paper input side of the corresponding tractor pin group and engage it. In this way, with this tractor feeder,
Since it is not necessary to simultaneously engage the left and right apertures with the left and right tractor pin groups, setting the fanfold paper is facilitated.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained in detail below based on embodiments shown in the drawings. 5 is a perspective view of the main parts of the tractor feeder 6, and FIG. 6 is a front sectional view of the thermal printer 7 equipped with the tractor feeder 6. First, a general example of the tractor feeder 6 will be explained with reference to these drawings. . The tractor feeder 6 is used at the image recording position of the thermal printer 7 shown in FIG. 6 and other various printers, and sets and conveys the fanfold paper P. As shown in FIG. 5, the tractor feeder 6 has base plates 8 arranged on the left and right sides with an interval between them (only one side is shown in the drawing).The tractor feeder 6 is guided by the base plates 8, and a pulley A tractor belt 9 (only one side is shown in the drawing) that travels along a conveyance direction A along a predetermined trajectory, and a group of 10 tractor pins protruding in a row from the outer surface of the tractor belt 9 (the drawing shows only one side of the belt). Only one side is shown above). The band-shaped fanfold paper P used as recording paper has apertures 4 and 5, also called sprocket holes or perforations, along both edges.
(See also FIG. 3 above) are arranged in a line at regular intervals. The tractor pins 10 of the tractor feeder 6 are provided with a size that allows them to engage with the aperture 4 (5), and at regular intervals that are the same as the intervals. Reference numeral 11 in FIG. 5 is a paper press plate, which presses the fanfold paper P set on the tractor feeder 6 and conveyed to the base plate 8 via the tractor belt 9.

In the thermal printer 7 shown in FIG. 6, such a tractor feeder 6 is employed in a conveyance system for fanfold paper P, which is recording paper. Briefly, in this thermal printer 7, the thermal head 13 is heated and pressed to the platen roller 12 via the fanfold paper P and ink film R being conveyed, and the ink of the ink film R is thermally transferred to the fanfold paper P. An image is formed. And fanfold paper P
is set on the paper input side of the lower side of the tractor feeder 6, and then its aperture 4 (5) is sequentially bitten by a group of 10 tractor pins run by a tractor belt 9, and is sequentially conveyed to the platen roller 12. supplied to Thus, the fanfold paper P is wound around the platen roller 12, and is further transported by the rotation of the platen roller 12 and subjected to thermal transfer, and then further transported below the tractor feeder 6 and discharged. Further, the ink film R is conveyed from the supply roll 14 to between the platen roller 12 and the thermal head 13,
After thermal transfer, the image is taken up on a take-up roll 15. Reference numeral 16 denotes a cassette that stores such ink film R and the like. The thermal head 13 is pressed against the platen roller 12 at a predetermined timing, and its heating elements are selectively energized and heated dot by dot based on image data.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the tractor feeder 6 according to the present invention.
The figure shows a state in which the left side of the fanfold paper P is set. In this tractor feeder 6, groups of left and right tractor pins 10, 18 arranged in a row at regular intervals on the tractor belts 9, 17 on both sides, at least on the paper input side, that is, on the insertion set side, are mutually aligned in the conveyance direction A. The positional relationship is shifted back and forth. That is, the left and right groups of tractor pins 10, 18 are not in a positional relationship in which they exactly face each other on both the paper input side and the paper output side, as in the conventional example of this type shown in FIG. They are arranged shifted by an integer multiple, such as twice the interval between them. In the illustrated example, the right tractor pin 10 group, that is, the tractor belt 9, is shifted to the upstream side in the conveying direction A than the left side tractor pin 18 group, that is, the tractor belt 17, which has the same length, and the whole, that is, the paper input side. Both the discharge side and the discharge side are misaligned. Note that FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention. In the tractor feeder 6 of FIG. 2, only the paper input side on the upstream side is misaligned, and the paper discharge side on the downstream side is in a positional relationship that is opposite to each other. Visually, only the paper input side is shifted upstream in the conveying direction A, and the discharge side is located opposite to the one on the left.

The tractor feeder 6 of the present invention is constructed as described above, and thus has the following features. That is, in this tractor feeder 6, the left and right tractor pins 10 and 18 groups are provided in a positional relationship shifted back and forth on the paper input side. Independently every 5
It becomes possible to shift the timing over time. Therefore, first, an appropriate number of apertures 4 on one side of the left and right sides, that is, on the right side in the illustrated example, are engaged in alignment with the paper input side of the corresponding group of 10 tractor pins on the right side ((1 in FIG. 1).
), then move the fanfold paper P forward slightly and align the appropriate number of apertures 5 on the remaining side, that is, on the left side in the illustrated example, with the paper input side of the corresponding group of tractor pins 18 on the left side. (See figure (2) in Figure 1). In this way, in this tractor feeder 6, the left and right apertures 4 and 5 of the fanfold paper P do not have to be simultaneously bitten by the left and right tractor pin groups 10 and 18, respectively, so that the fanfold paper P can be set easily. is facilitated.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of an improved example of fanfold paper P. In this fanfold paper P, the left and right apertures 4 and 5 are shifted back and forth in the conveyance direction A on the paper input side, that is, on the leading edge side. In the illustrated example, the left half of the fanfold paper P is formed to protrude slightly so that the aperture 5 on the left side projects further downstream in the conveyance direction A than the aperture 4 on the right side. If the fanfold paper P is configured in this way, unlike the conventional paper, the same advantages as the present invention will be exhibited. In other words, even if the conventional tractor feeder 1 shown in FIG. 3 is used as is, the fanfold paper P shown in FIG. This makes it possible to set the timing at different times, making the setting easier.

0012

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the tractor feeder according to the present invention exhibits the following effects by shifting the positional relationship of the left and right tractor pin groups back and forth on the paper input side. In other words, the fanfold paper can be set independently for the left and right apertures at different timings, and does not have to be done at the same time for the left and right apertures, making it easier to set the fanfold paper, saving time and reducing mistakes. Setting errors are prevented with extremely few occurrences.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the tractor feeder according to the present invention, (1) the figure shows the state in which the right side of the fanfold paper is set, and (2) the figure shows the state in which the left side of the fanfold paper is set. Indicates the condition.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing another embodiment of the tractor feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a conventional tractor feeder.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of an improved example of fanfold paper.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of essential parts of the tractor feeder.

FIG. 6 is a front sectional view of a thermal printer equipped with a tractor feeder.

[Explanation of symbols]

6 Tractor feeder 10 Tractor pin 18 Tractor pin P Fanfold paper A Conveying direction

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A tractor feeder used in an image recording device to set and convey fanfold paper, in which left and right tractor pin groups arranged in a row at regular intervals on both sides are arranged on the paper input side. A tractor feeder characterized in that the tractor feeders are provided in a positional relationship shifted back and forth in the conveyance direction.