JPH06135099A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the excessive rising of a printing head while achieving miniaturization and cost reduction without damaging sound barrier function. CONSTITUTION:A rotary blade 21 capable of supplying an air stream to a printing head 11 is provided to a carrier 7 and a cooperation means 31 operating the rotary blade 21 using the moving force of the carrier 7 as a drive source is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to printers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 4 and 5 show a schematic configuration of a conventional printer. In these figures, 1 is a main body case. A ribbon cassette 2, a platen 6, a carrier 7, a print head 11 and the like are housed in the main body case 1. Here, the ribbon cassette 2 is fixed at a predetermined horizontal position in the main body case 1 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the platen 6. Further, the carrier 7 has a print head 11
Is mounted so as to face the platen 6 via the ink ribbon 3 of the ribbon cassette 2, and the carrier 7 is provided so as to be capable of reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the platen 6 via a carrier shaft 8 and the like. In addition, in FIGS.
A ribbon guide 9 is attached to the tip of the print head 11.

Therefore, the sheet is supplied to the platen 6 and the carrier 7 is reciprocated to drive the print head 11 to print. At this time, the print sound may leak to the outside through the main body case 1 and may give an uncomfortable feeling to an operator or the like. for that reason,
Conventionally, the main body case 1 has a double structure, or a sound absorbing material is attached to the case 1 for sound insulation.

On the other hand, the print head 11 generates heat as it is driven, but since the main body case 1 has a highly sealed structure such as a double structure as described above, it cannot rely on natural heat radiation, and thus is exceptional. It is necessary to provide a cooling device. for that reason,
Usually, as shown in FIG. 4, a cooling fan 9 is attached to the side wall of the main body case 1, and during printing, the fan 9 is driven to cool the print head 11.

[0005]

In the printer described above, by using the cooling fan 9, an excessive temperature rise of the print head 11 can be avoided, but the cooling fan 9 and its mounting member are provided in the main body case 1. As a result, there is an inconvenience that the size is increased and the cost is increased. Moreover, in order to attach the cooling fan 9 to the main body case 1, a large opening must be provided in the side wall of the main body case 1, and the sound insulation function tends to be deteriorated.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of preventing an excessive temperature rise of a print head without impairing its sound insulation function, and while achieving size reduction and cost reduction. It is in.

[0007]

In a printer according to the present invention, a platen, a ribbon cassette fixed so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the platen, a print head, and an ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette are provided in a main body case. In a printer that accommodates a carrier that is mounted so as to face the platen via a carrier and that is provided so as to be capable of reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the platen, an air flow supply means that can supply an air flow to the print head Further, interlocking means for operating the air flow supply means by using the moving force of the carrier as a drive source is provided.

[0008]

In the present invention having the above-described structure, when the carrier is reciprocated during printing, the air flow supply means is operated by the moving force of the carrier as a drive source through the interlocking means to supply the air flow to the print head. The supplied air flow cools the print head to prevent an excessive temperature rise.

As described above, since the air flow supply means is operated by using the moving force of the carrier, it is not necessary to provide a special drive source, and the size and cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional technique of cooling by a cooling fan. To be Further, since the carrier is provided with the air flow supply means, the print head also mounted on the carrier can be efficiently cooled. Also,
Unlike the conventional cooling fan system, it is not necessary to provide a large opening in the main body case, so the sound insulation function is not impaired.

As described above, it is possible to prevent an excessive rise in temperature of the print head without impairing the sound insulation function, while achieving size reduction and cost reduction.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, this printer has the same basic configuration (main body case 1, ribbon cassette 2, platen 6, carrier 7, print head 11, etc.) as the conventional example, and the air flow to the print head 11 is increased. The airflow supply means (21) for supplying the airflow is provided on the carrier 7, and the interlocking means 31 for operating the airflow supply means (21) with the moving force of the carrier 7 as a drive source is provided without impairing the sound insulation function. In addition, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the print head 11 from rising excessively while achieving downsizing and cost reduction. The same or common components as those of the conventional example (FIGS. 4 and 5) are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

Here, the ribbon cassette 2 is fixed at a predetermined horizontal position in the main body case 1. The ribbon cassette 2 is provided with a shield portion 4 for covering the movement path of the print head 11 which is reciprocally moved together with the carrier 7 in the longitudinal direction of the platen 6 (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1) from the outside. A transparent portion 5 is formed at the tip of the shielding portion 4 so that the printing condition can be confirmed.

Further, the air flow supply means is composed of a rotary blade 21 which is rotatably supported by the carrier 7 so as to surround the outer peripheral portion of the print head 11. The print head 11
Ventilation holes 2 that allow ventilation in the outer peripheral portion and the rear end portion of the
5 are provided. Then, when the rotary blade 21 is rotated, an air flow is generated and supplied to the print head 11. And
The inside of the print head 11 is ventilated and cooled through each vent hole 25.

The interlocking means 31 is used for the ribbon cassette 2
It is formed of a rack portion 32 provided on the side and a gear portion 33 provided on the side of the rotary blade 21, and is configured to convert a part of the moving force of the carrier 7 into the rotary force of the rotary blade 21. . That is, the rack portion 32 is integrally provided on the surface of the shield portion 4 of the ribbon cassette 2 on the print head 11 side. The rack portion 32 is formed along the moving path of the carrier 7, and its length is formed to correspond to the moving stroke of the carrier 7. In addition, the gear part 33 includes the rotor blade 21.
Is integrally provided at the end portion of the platen 6 side so as to mesh with the rack portion 32.

Next, the operation will be described. Carrier 7 for printing
Is reciprocated, the rotary blade 21 is operated by the moving force of the carrier 7 as a drive source via the interlocking means 31 (rack portion 32, gear portion 33) to supply an air flow to the print head 11. The supplied airflow cools the print head 11 to prevent an excessive temperature rise.

As described above, the moving force of the carrier 7 is used to operate the rotary vanes 21, so that it is not necessary to provide a special drive source, and the size and cost can be reduced as compared with the prior art in which the cooling fan (9) is used for cooling. Reduction is achieved. Also, the rotor blade 2
Since 1 is provided on the carrier 7, the print head 11 also mounted on the carrier 7 can be cooled efficiently. Also, like the conventional cooling fan system, the main body case 1
There is no need to provide a large opening in the sound insulation function.

According to this embodiment, however, the carrier 7 is provided with the air flow supply means (rotary blades 21) capable of supplying the air flow to the print head 11, and the moving force of the carrier 7 is used as the drive source to supply the air flow. Interlocking means 3 for activating the means (21)
1 is provided, the print head 11 can be miniaturized and cost reduced without impairing the sound insulation function.
It is possible to prevent an excessive rise in temperature.

Further, the air flow supply means is used as the print head 11
Since the rotary blades 21 are formed so as to surround the outer periphery of the print head 11, the print head 11 can be cooled more efficiently while saving the installation space.

Further, since the print head 11 is provided with the vent hole 25, it is possible to more effectively vent the inside of the print head 11 to prevent an excessive temperature rise.

Further, the print head 11 is attached to the ribbon cassette 2.
Since the shielding portion 4 is provided to cover the moving path portion, it is possible to more effectively prevent the print sound from leaking to the outside.

Further, since the interlocking means 31 is formed of only two components (the rack portion 32 and the gear portion 33), the structure can be further simplified and the cost can be reduced.

Further, since the rack portion 32 is provided integrally with the shielding portion 4 and the gear portion 33 is provided integrally with the rotary blade 21, the number of parts is reduced and the cost can be further reduced.

Further, since the transparent portion 5 is provided at the end of the shielding portion 4 on the platen 6 side, the printing condition can be monitored.

In the above embodiment, the air flow supplying means is formed by the rotary blades 21, but it can be operated by the moving force of the carrier 7 as a drive source to supply the air flow toward the print head 11. It may be formed in any way.

[0025]

According to the present invention, the carrier is provided with the air flow supply means capable of supplying the air flow to the print head, and the interlocking means for operating the air flow supply means by using the moving force of the carrier as a driving source is provided. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an excessive temperature rise of the print head while achieving the miniaturization and cost reduction without impairing the sound insulation function.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view for explaining an essential part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the positional relationship between the rotary blade and the interlocking device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the positional relationship between the shield attached to the ribbon cassette and the print head.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining a schematic configuration of a conventional printer.

FIG. 5 is a side view for explaining the internal configuration of a conventional printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main Body Case 2 Ribbon Cassette 3 Ink Ribbon 7 Carrier 11 Print Head 21 Rotor Blade (Air Flow Supply Means) 31 Interlocking Means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A platen in which a platen, a ribbon cassette fixed so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the platen, and a print head are mounted so as to face the platen via an ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette. In a printer that accommodates a carrier that is reciprocally movable in the longitudinal direction of the printer, the carrier is provided with an air flow supply means capable of supplying an air flow to the print head, and the moving force of the carrier is used as a drive source to generate air. A printer provided with interlocking means for operating the flow supply means.