JPH0621949U - Printer head cable - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] By eliminating the phenomenon that the flat cable placed inside bends and expands, it is possible to ensure smooth reciprocating movement of the carriage and prevent damage to the flat cable itself. It is an object of the present invention to provide a head cable of a printing device. [Structure] A plurality of flat cables constituting the head cable are sequentially shortened toward the inside.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to, for example, a head cable that connects a print head mounted on a carriage of a printing device and a main PCB (printed circuit board) fixed to the main body of the printing device, and particularly to a flat plate-shaped flat cable. When the flat cable is installed in a stacked state, the flat cable placed inside can be prevented from bending and expanding due to the movement of the carriage.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 The carriage of the printing apparatus and its surroundings are configured as shown in FIG. 2, for example. First, there is a frame 1 of the printing apparatus, and a platen 3 is rotatably mounted in the frame 1. A print head 5 is arranged at a position facing the platen 3, and the print head 5 is mounted on a carriage 7. The carriage 7 is configured to be capable of reciprocating in the left-right direction in the figure along a carriage stay 9 installed in the frame 1. As the carriage 7 reciprocates, the print head 5 also reciprocates in the same direction.

On the other hand, a main PCB 11 is fixed to the frame 1, and the main PCB 11 and the print head 5 are electrically connected by a head cable 13. The head cable 13 has a configuration in which a thin plate-shaped outer flat cable 15 and an inner flat cable 17 are laminated. The connection structure between the head cable 13 and the print head 5 is as follows. First, a part of the substrate 19 is projected and arranged from the print head 5 side, and the connectors 21, 23 are attached to the substrate 19. The connectors 21 and 23 are formed with insertion ports 21a and 23a, and the ends of the outer flat cable 15 and the inner flat cable 17 of the head cable 13 are reinforced at the insertion ports 21a and 23a. It is plugged in with the board and is thereby electrically connected.

The connection structure of the head cable 13 and the main PCB 11 side is as follows. Connections 25 and 27 are attached to the main PCB 11 side, and the end portions of the outer flat cable 15 and the inner flat cable 17 of the head cable 13 are shown in the insertion ports 25a and 27a of these connection devices 25 and 27. Not plugged together with stiffeners, and thereby electrically connected. The outer flat cable 15 and the inner flat cable 17 on the main PCB 11 side are pressed onto the frame 1 by a cable pressing plate 29. The length of the deformable portion of the outer flat cable 15 of the head cable 13 (the length between the outer surface of the carriage 7 and the end surface of the pressing plate 29, L_A) And the length of the deformable portion of the inner flat cable 17 (the length from the outer surface of the carriage 7 to the end surface of the pressing plate 29, L _B ) And are set to approximately equal values.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

The above-mentioned conventional configuration has the following problems. As described above, the length (L _A ) of the deformable portion of the outer flat cable 15 of the head cable 13 and the length (L _B ) of the deformable portion of the inner flat cable 17 are substantially equal to each other. It is set to a value. If it if mounted in as designed substantially equal, but not to atmospheric problems so, due to variations in dimensions, etc., the length of the flat cable 15 and (L _A), the inner flat cable 17 When the length (L _B ) has a relationship as shown in the following formula (I 2), the inner flat cable 17 may bend and swell as shown by the broken line in FIG. In other words, in the case of the inner flat cable 17, since it cannot escape to the outside, it swells inward. _{L A <L B ---- (I} ) Thus, when had swelled is bent inside the flat cable 17, or worse mar reciprocating operation of the carriage 7 collide with key Yarijji 7, at the same time However, there is a problem that the inner flat cable 17 is damaged due to the collision with the carriage 7.

As a case where the inner flat cable 17 bends and swells, there are cases as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in addition to the case shown in FIG. In the case shown in FIG. 3, when the carriage 7 moves forward to the right side in the drawing and then tries to return to the left side, the inner flat cable 17 is bent and swelled at the left side position. In this case, further return movement of the carriage 7 is hindered, and the inner flat cable 17 may be damaged. Further, in the case shown in FIG. 4, when the carriage 7 is going to move forward, the inner flat cable 17 is bent and swelled at the right side position. In this case, further forward movement of the carriage 7 is hindered, and the inner flat cable 17 may be damaged.

Further, in the above-described conventional configuration, when the outer and inner flat cables 15, 17 have substantially the same length, both of them try to be located in the same path, so that the outer and inner flat cables 15, 17 are arranged. The opposing surfaces of are strongly pressed, and the two are stuck together. When the carriage 7 moves in such a state, the outer and inner flat cables 15, 17 are reversed and bent (hereinafter referred to as "curved portion"), but the carriage 7 tries to move as the carriage 7 moves. Since the outer and inner flat cables 15 and 17 are attached, the outer and inner flat cables 15 and 17 are in a stiffened state, and the bent portion cannot move smoothly. When the carriage 7 becomes unstable in running, or the curved portion is forcibly moved under pressure, the outer and inner flat cables 15 and 17 are strongly rubbed against each other, and the outer and inner flat cables 15 and 17 are There was a problem that the coated part was damaged.

The present invention has been made on the basis of the above points, and an object thereof is to eliminate the phenomenon that the flat cable disposed on the inner side bends and swells, thereby allowing smooth reciprocating movement of the carriage. It is an object of the present invention to provide a head cable for a printing device that can ensure the security and prevent the flat cable itself from being damaged.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the head cable of the printer according to the present invention has one end connected to the print head mounted on the carriage reciprocally arranged and the other end connected to the printer main body. In a head cable of a printing device that is constructed by stacking multiple flat cables, the length of the deformable portion of the multiple flat cables that make up the head cable is directed inward. The feature is that the length is shortened in sequence.

[0010]

[Action]

 In the case of the present invention, the lengths of the plurality of flat cables forming the head cable are sequentially shortened toward the inside. Therefore, when the carriage reciprocates, it is possible to prevent the flat cable arranged inside from bending and expanding. Also, the flat cable can be used without damaging it.

[0011]

【Example】

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. The same parts as those of the conventional one are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In the case of this embodiment, the length of the deformable portion of the outer flat cable 15 of the head cable 13 (the length between the carriage 7 and the outer side surface and the end surface of the pressing plate 29, L _A ) and the inner flat cable A relationship as shown in the following formula (II) is set between the length of the deformable portion of 17 (the length between the carriage 7 and the outer surface and the end surface of the pressing plate 29, L _B ). . L _A > L _B ---- (II) Specifically, it depends on how much the length is made different, but at least a value that does not cause the relationship of the above formula (II) to become unsatisfactory due to dimensional variation. It is necessary to be. In the case of this embodiment, an appropriate value is set between 2 and 10 mm. The other structure is the same as the conventional one, and the description thereof is omitted.

According to the above configuration, the following actions and effects can be achieved. First, between the length (L _A ) of the deformable portion of the outer flat cable 15 of the head cable 13 and the length (L _B ) of the deformable portion of the inner flat cable 17, the above equation (II ), The length of the deformable portion of the outer flat cable 15 (L _A ) is longer than the length of the deformable portion of the inner flat cable 17 (L _B ). Has become. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the inner flat cable 17 from bending and expanding when the carriage 7 reciprocates. This ensures smooth reciprocating movement of the carriage 7 and prevents damage to the inner flat cable 17 due to collision with the carriage 7. At the same time, a slight gap is created between the outer flat cable 15 and the inner flat cable 17, and the outer flat cable 15 and the inner flat cable 17 are not stuck to each other at the turning portion. It is possible to avoid damage due to excessive rubbing of the flat cable 15 and the inner flat cable 17 and unstable running of the carriage 7.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned one embodiment. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the head cable composed of two flat cables, the outer flat cable 15 and the inner flat cable 17, is shown as an example. However, in contrast to the head cable formed by stacking three or more flat cables, However, the same can be applied. In this case, the length of the flat cable arranged inside is sequentially shortened by a predetermined amount. Further, the width of each flat cable does not have to be the same, and the same can be applied to a head cable configured by laminating flat cables having different widths.

[0014]

[Effect of device]

 As described above in detail, according to the head cable of the printing apparatus of the present invention, the length of the plurality of flat cables constituting the head cable is sequentially shortened toward the inside. Therefore, when the carriage reciprocates, it is possible to prevent the flat cable arranged inside from bending and expanding. As a result, the collision between the carriage and the bulged flat cable is eliminated, and the reciprocating movement of the carriage can be made smooth. Further, the flat cable can be prevented from being damaged, and the service life can be extended.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention and is a diagram showing a configuration of a head cable of a printing apparatus and its periphery.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a conventional example and is a diagram showing a configuration of a head cable of a printing apparatus and its periphery.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a conventional example and is a diagram showing a configuration of a head cable of a printing apparatus and its periphery.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional example and is a diagram showing a configuration of a head cable of a printing apparatus and its periphery.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Print head 7 Carriage 11 Main PCB 13 Head cable 15 Outside flat cable 17 Inside flat cable

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A structure in which a print head mounted on a carriage that is reciprocally movable has one end connected to the print head and the other end connected to the printer main body, and a plurality of flat cables are laminated. In the head cable of the printing device, the length of the deformable portion of the plurality of flat cables forming the head cable is sequentially shortened toward the inside. Device head cable.