JPH0592634A - Automatic inserting device for machine-glazed paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transfer a tip of machine-glazed paper certainly to a paper feed opening by a simple method irrespective of large or small sizes of the machine- glazed paper. CONSTITUTION:After placing machine-glazed paper P on a machine-glazed paper holder 1, a tip of the machine-glazed paper P is detected by variation in a signal of a reflection type photosensor 18 while the machine-glazed paper P is being rotated in a reverse direction to a paper feed direction by driving a belt 3. Then, when the tip of the machine-glazed paper P is detected, the belt 3 is driven in the paper feed direction to rotate the machine-glazed paper P in the paper feed direction, which is transferred to an insertion opening 11a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer using roll paper, and more particularly to an automatic roll paper inserter for automatically setting roll paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some printers used for cash registers or the like have an automatic loading function that allows roll paper to be automatically set along its conveyance path. An automatic roll paper insertion device used in such a printer and capable of automatically conveying the leading edge of the roll paper to the paper insertion opening is a container-shaped roll as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. A roller 61 or a belt 62 that contacts the roll paper P from below is arranged at the bottom of the paper holder 60, and the roll paper P contacts the roller 61 or the belt 62 by its own weight.
Is driven to generate a frictional force between the roll paper P and the roller 61 or the belt 62 to rotate the roll paper in the paper feeding direction, so that the leading end of the roll paper P is conveyed to the paper insertion port 66 of the printer. It is known to be composed of.

However, in general, the roll paper P is placed on the roll paper holder 60 with the leading end of the roll paper P in an arbitrary phase. Therefore, in the apparatus having the above-described configuration, the leading end of the roll paper P faces the roll paper holder 60. Roll paper P when placed
By the time the leading edge of the roll paper reaches the paper insertion opening 66, the roll is unwound, the leading edge of the roll paper P becomes unstable, and the paper insertion opening 6 is normally inserted.
Sometimes it was not transported to 6.

In order to compensate for such a defect, as shown in FIG. 7, the roll paper holder 6 covers the upper portion of the roll paper P.
0 is provided with a lid-shaped paper guide 64, and the leading end of the roll paper P moves along the gap between the paper guide 64 and the surface of the roll paper P. There is a device that can convey to the sheet insertion port 66 without blurring.

[0005]

However, the shape of such a lid-shaped paper guide is designed in accordance with the outer diameter of the roll paper when it is new, and the roll paper of the semi-used state has a small diameter as described above. The gap between the paper guide and the surface of the roll paper may become large, and the leading edge of the roll paper may not be properly conveyed to the paper insertion port. Further, when setting the roll paper, it is necessary to open and close the paper guide, which is not convenient.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and can roll the leading edge of the roll paper to the paper feed port reliably by a simple method regardless of the size of the roll paper. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic paper sheet inserting device.

[0007]

In order to achieve this object, an automatic paper sheet inserting apparatus of the present invention has a roll paper holder for accommodating roll paper and having a paper feed port for conveying the roll paper to a printing means. And a drive unit arranged below the roll paper holder and rotating the roll paper by contacting the roll paper, wherein the drive unit is provided in both forward and reverse directions. It is drivable, and further has a detection unit which is arranged in the vicinity of the paper feed port and which detects the distance between the paper feed port and the roll paper and determines the driving direction of the driving unit.

[0008]

In the automatic roll paper inserting apparatus of the present invention having the above construction, the detecting means detects the distance between the roll paper and the paper feed port and determines the driving direction of the driving means.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

2 and 3 show a journal printer of an electronic cash register (ECR) using the automatic roll paper inserting device of the present invention.

In this journal printer, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the roll paper holder 1 is a roll paper P.
Is formed in a container shape for accommodating paper, and an opening having a size such that the roll paper P does not drop is formed at the bottom thereof. A paper rake roller 2 for rotatably holding the roll paper P during printing is provided at the bottom of the roll paper holder 1. Below the roll paper holder 1, a belt 3 is suspended between a drive pulley 4 and a driven pulley 5, and the drive pulley 4 is connected to a belt drive motor 6 via a gear train. The drive pulley 4 and the driven pulley 5 are attached to a belt frame 7, and the belt 3 is centered on the axis of the drive pulley 4.
Is rotatable between a first position in which the surface of the roll paper P abuts and a second position in which the surface of the roll paper P is separated.

In the rotation range of the belt frame 7, there is provided a belt lift switch 10 for detecting that the belt frame 7 has moved to a position where it comes into contact with the roll paper P. Further, a belt lift crank 8 having a pinion gear 8a engaged with a rack 7a formed on the belt frame 7 for rotating the belt frame 7 is connected to the belt frame 7. A belt lift drive motor 9 is connected to the lift crank 8 via a gear train.

An insertion port 11a for supplying the roll paper P is formed in a part of the roll paper holder 1, and a separator for peeling the leading end of the roll paper P is formed in the vicinity of the insertion port 11a. 12 and a reflective photo sensor 18 that detects the distance to the roll paper P. The separator 12 is pressed against the surface of the roll paper P by a separator spring (not shown). Paper guide 1 constituted by a pair of plate-like members for transporting the roll paper P from the insertion port 11a to the impact head described later.
1, a paper feed roller 14 for carrying the roll paper P and a paper pressure spring 17 are provided in the carrying path formed by 1.
The paper feed roller 14 is urged by and is in contact with the paper feed roller 14, and the roll paper P is supported while supporting the roll paper P at the contact surface.
And a pinch roller 16 for transporting. Further, a paper feed drive motor 15 for driving the paper feed roller 14 is connected to the paper feed roller 14 via a gear train. A photo sensor 19 for detecting the roll paper P is provided near the insertion port 11a in the transport path.

In the vicinity of the paper feed roller 14, a carriage 2 which can reciprocate on a guide rail which is provided in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction and parallel to the printing surface of the roll paper P.
0 is provided, and an impact head 21 for printing is attached to the carriage 20.
A platen 22 is arranged at a position facing the impact head 21 over the moving range of the carriage 20. An ink ribbon (not shown) housed in a ribbon cassette (not shown) is stretched between the impact head 21 and the roll paper P. A conveyance path is provided between the impact head 21 and a journal core 27 for winding the printed roll paper P by a paper guide 26 formed of a pair of plate-shaped members.
The core member of the journal core 27 is provided with a slit 28, and the slit 28 is formed in a tapered shape to guide the leading end of the printed roll paper P.

The journal core 27 is a take-up belt 30.
Also, it is connected to the paper feed drive motor 15 by a slip clutch 31 described later. The slip clutch 31 idles the paper feed drive motor 15 when the journal core 27 receives an excessive torque. At the end of the paper guide 26, a pair of upper and lower paper guide plates 32 and 33 for guiding the printed roll paper P to the opening of the slit of the journal core 27 are rotatably provided, respectively. The paper guide plate drive gear 3
4, 35 and the paper guide plate drive motor 36 are connected.

Further, the flange 37 of the journal core 27
By engaging with the locking groove portion 38 formed in the above, the phase of the opening of the slit 28 of the journal core 27 and the phase of the roll paper P passage formed by the pair of upper and lower paper guide plates 32 and 33 are matched. A journal core locking member 39 is provided so as to be coaxial with the rotation axis of the paper guide plate 33 and to be interlockable with the paper guide plate 33. A journal core locking spring 40 that biases the phase of the journal core locking member 39 in the same phase as the paper guide plate 33 is hooked between the paper guide plate 33 and the journal core locking member 39. ing.

Next, the operation of setting the roll paper P in the journal printer having the above structure will be described step by step.

(1) The roll paper P is placed on the roll paper holder 1, and a roll paper set key (not shown) set on the electronic cash register (ECR) is pressed. In this embodiment, the operator presses the roll paper set key to start the operation of setting the roll paper P, but the setting operation may be started by the change of the signal of the near-end sensor of the roll paper P. .

(2) The belt lift drive motor 9 is started, and the belt lift crank 8 is rotated in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 1 by the drive, and the pinion gear 8a and the rack 7a of the belt lift frame 7 are engaged. By doing
The belt frame 7 rotates about the axis of the drive pulley 4, and the belt 3 comes into contact with the roll paper P. When the signal of the belt lift switch changes from OFF to ON, it means that the belt 3 has moved to the position where the roll paper P is set. Therefore, the belt lift drive motor 9 immediately stops, and the belt lift frame 7 and the belt 3 are stopped.
Keep in this position. At this time, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, even if the roll paper P having any diameter is placed on the roll paper holder 1, the surface of the roll paper P is inclined and abuts in the direction of a. Can contact the belt 3 and the separator 12 to stably feed the roll paper P, and the distance between the roll paper P and the reflective photosensor 18 can be kept constant.

(3) The paper guide plate drive motor 36 is started, and as shown in FIG.
By the action of 4, 35, the paper guide plates 32, 33 rotate in the direction of arrow B to form a conveyance path from the end of the paper guide 26 to the opening of the slit 28 of the journal core 27. 36 stops.
At this time, the stoppers provided on the paper guide plates 32 and 33 come into contact with each other during the drive time of the paper guide plate drive motor 36, so that the paper guide plate drive motor 36 is stopped in the motor lock state, and then the paper guide plate drive motor 36 is stopped. The drive signal for driving the paper guide plate drive motor 36 is turned off.

(4) The paper feed drive motor 15 is driven. In (3), since the paper guide plate 32 is closed, the journal core locking member 39 is not attached to the journal core 27.
Is in contact with the flange 37. If the paper feed drive motor 15 is driven in this state, the journal core 27 will move to the flange 3
The locking groove 38 formed in 7 and the journal core locking member 39 rotate until they engage with each other, and after they are engaged, the journal core locking member 39 serves as a stopper for the journal core 27. 27 does not rotate, and the paper feed drive motor 15 is driven by the action of the slip clutch 31.
Spins idle. As a result, the position of the opening of the slit 28 of the journal core 27 corresponds to the position of the transport path for the roll paper P formed by the paper guide plates 32 and 33. Then, the paper feed drive motor 15 is stopped thereafter.

(5) The belt drive motor 6 is driven to rotate the belt 3, and the roll paper P is continuously fed at a constant speed in the direction opposite to the paper feeding direction by the friction between the belt 3 and the surface of the roll paper P. At this time, at the same time, the output signal of the reflection type photo sensor 18 provided at the bottom of the roll paper holder 1 is monitored.

(6) By the rotation of the roll paper P, the leading end of the roll paper P passes through the separator 12 and the insertion port 11a.
When it reaches the front side of the
2 loses support, peels off from the roll portion, and approaches the reflection type photosensor 18, so that the distance between the reflection type photosensor 18 and the roll paper P changes. At this time, the output signal of the reflective photosensor 18 changes according to the distance characteristic of the reflective photosensor 18 shown in FIG. Based on this signal change, it is determined that the front end of the roll paper P is in front of the insertion port 11a.

(7) When it is confirmed by the signal of the reflection type photo sensor 18 that the front end of the roll paper P is in front of the insertion port 11a, the belt drive motor 6 is driven in the direction opposite to the drive direction in (5). , Belt 3 is rotated in the paper feed direction. Then, when it is confirmed by the signal of the photo sensor 19 that the leading end of the roll paper P has been inserted into the insertion port 11a, the belt drive motor 6 and the paper feed drive motor 1
5 is driven to continuously feed the belt 3 and the paper feed roller 14 in the paper feed direction. As a result, the roll paper P is conveyed between the pair of paper guides 11 and the paper feed roller 1
4 and the pinch roller 16 are caught. At this time, if a stepping motor is used as the belt drive motor 6, the photo sensor 19 detects the leading edge of the roll paper P, and then the belt drive motor 6 is fed by a certain number of steps, so that the leading edge of the roll paper P is fed. It is possible to determine that it has reached the feed roller 14.

(8) When the leading edge of the roll paper P reaches the position of the paper feed roller 14, the belt lift drive motor 9 is driven, and the belt lift crank 8 is rotated in the direction opposite to the arrow A. Then, the belt frame 7 is gradually lowered by its own weight, and the belt 3 is separated from the roll paper P accordingly. When the signal emitted from the belt lift switch changes from ON to OFF and reaches the position shown in FIG. 3, the belt lift drive motor 9 is stopped and the belt frame 7 is kept at that position. At the same time, the belt drive motor 6 also stops. As a result, friction between the roll paper P and the belt 3 is eliminated, so that when the roll paper P is conveyed by the rotation of the paper feed roller 14,
Since the roll paper P is received by the rotatable paper rake roller 2, even if the roll paper P is pulled by the paper feed roller 14 and the pinch roller 16, the roll paper P can be lightly rotated and reliably transported. To be done.

(9) Furthermore, the roll paper P is guided between the print head 21 and the platen 22 by the paper feed roller 14 which is rotationally driven by the paper feed drive motor 15, and is guided by the paper guide 26. Then, the roll paper P passes through the transport path formed by the paper guide plates 32 and 33 in (3) and then passes through the slit 28 of the journal core 27. Then, after feeding the roll paper P by a predetermined amount, the paper feed drive motor 15 is stopped.

(10) Paper guide plate drive motor 36
Is driven in the direction opposite to the rotation direction in the case of (3), and is stopped after a fixed time. As a result, the pair of paper guide plates 32 and 33 forming the transport path rotate in the direction opposite to the arrow B, and do not hinder the winding of the roll paper P around the journal core 27, as shown in FIG. Save to range.

(11) While the paper feed drive motor 15 is being driven, the take-up drive motor 30 is driven at a feeding speed slightly higher than that, and the roll paper P is fed to the journal core 27.
Take up as a core and stop after a certain time. As a result, the print sheet is wound around the journal core 27, and the print preparation is completed.

As described above, the automatic setting of the roll paper P is completed by the operations (1) to (12). After that, the roll paper P is fed by the paper feed roller 14 according to the input data.
And is printed by the print head 21 and wound around the journal core 27.

[0030]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the automatic roll paper inserting device of the present invention, the distance between the roll paper and the drive means for rotating the roll paper is detected, and the detection is performed. Since the drive direction of the drive unit is determined according to the result, the roll paper is not unwound during the rotation of the roll paper, and the leading end of the roll paper can be reliably set near the paper feed port. Further, since the operator can set the roll paper surely only by placing the roll paper on the roll paper holder, the replacement of the roll paper becomes very simple.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a journal printer that embodies a roll paper automatic insertion device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing when a roll paper is inserted in a journal printer embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state during printing in the journal printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing distance-output characteristics of the reflective photosensor used in this example.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a conventional roll paper automatic insertion device.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a conventional roll paper automatic insertion device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Roll Paper Holder 3 Belt 4 Drive Pulley 5 Driven Pulley 6 Belt Drive Motor 7 Belt Frame 8 Belt Lift Crank 9 Belt Lift Drive Motor 10 Belt Lift Switch 11 Paper Guide 11a Insertion Port 18 Reflective Photo Sensor P Roll Paper

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A roll paper holder for accommodating roll paper and having a paper feed port for conveying the roll paper to a printing means, and arranged below the roll paper holder and contacting the roll paper. In a roll paper automatic insertion device including a drive means for rotating the roll paper by means of the above, the drive means can be driven in both forward and reverse directions, and
Automatic insertion of roll paper, characterized in that the roll paper is provided in the vicinity of the paper feed port and has a detection unit that detects a distance between the paper feed port and the roll paper and determines a driving direction of the driving unit. apparatus.