JPH0625358Y2 - Pen position adjustment mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a pen position adjusting mechanism used in a printer for printing with a pen.

[Prior Art] In general, a printer, which is a type of output device for outputting various information, has a configuration in which printing is performed using a pen.

A printer using this pen attaches a pen holder to a carriage that moves relative to the printing surface, mounts a plurality of pens of different colors on this pen holder, and selects the pen of the color to be printed to perform printing. , So that color printing can be easily performed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in a conventional printer using a pen, printing is performed using a special pen uniquely prepared for each printer model, and printing cannot be performed using a commercially available pen. It was Of course, it was not possible to freely select the properties of the ink and the thickness of the print. Further, in the conventional printer, only the color prepared in advance can be printed, and the color freely selected from the commercially available color pens cannot be printed.
Furthermore, in the past, since a plurality of pens were mounted on the pen holder, each pen was formed in a small size, so the ink volume was small, and the ink ran out during printing, and the pens had to be replaced. In many cases, it is unavoidable that there is a risk that a discontinuity may occur in printing or the like due to pen replacement.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and when holding various pens having different thicknesses, lengths, shapes, etc. by the pen chuck mechanism, the pen tip is always attached as a reference regardless of the type of the pen. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pen position adjusting mechanism that can be positioned and held so as to match the position and can always perform printing or the like with an appropriate pressure.

[Means for solving problems]

The pen position adjusting mechanism of the present invention holds and holds a pen that is inserted in the printing surface direction and holds the pen in a pen chuck mechanism that is movable in the printing surface direction together with the pen. In a pen position adjusting mechanism for holding and holding the pen at a predetermined mounting reference position, the pen chuck mechanism can move in the printing surface direction at the same time as the pen when the pen is inserted into the pen chuck mechanism and held. A simultaneous movement distance regulation member that regulates a distance; a single movement distance regulation member that regulates a distance that the pen can independently move further in the same direction after the pen chuck mechanism stops moving in the printing surface direction; Stops the pen chuck mechanism from moving in the direction opposite to the printing surface direction at a predetermined position when the force of pushing the pen into the pen chuck mechanism is released. And having a stopper portion for.

[Action]

In the pen position adjusting mechanism of the present invention, when the pen is inserted into the pen chuck mechanism toward the printing surface direction, the pen and the pen chuck mechanism simultaneously move in the printing surface direction due to the frictional force between them. Then, when they move at the same time to some extent, the simultaneous movement distance regulating member prevents the movement of one of the pen chuck mechanisms in the printing surface direction. After that, when the pen is pushed further, only the pen moves further toward the printing surface. Then, when only the pen moves to some extent, the independent movement distance restricting member also prevents the pen from moving. When the pushing force to the pen is released in this state, the pen and pen chuck mechanism move together in the direction opposite to the printing surface direction, and when the pen chuck mechanism is returned by the distance moved in the printing surface direction, the stopper part Be stopped. This returning distance is always the distance regulated by the simultaneous movement distance regulating mechanism regardless of the pen, and is constant. Therefore, the pen is mounted with the pen tip always aligned with a fixed height from the printing surface, that is, a mounting reference position in the pen chuck mechanism.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows an outline of a printer using the present invention.

First, a schematic configuration of a printer using the pen position adjusting mechanism 1 of this embodiment will be described. In the printer of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the paper 3 is fed to the upper surface between the frames 2 and 2 which are fixedly provided at both ends in the width direction. The substrate 4 is provided horizontally. Hereinafter, the upper surface of the substrate 4 will be referred to as a printing surface P. Above the substrate 4, an upper fixed shaft 5 and a lower rotating shaft 6 are horizontally mounted between the frames 2 and 2 in parallel. And
The fixed shaft 5 and the rotary shaft 6 are provided with the pen position adjusting mechanism 1 of this embodiment, and a carriage 7 provided with four pen chuck mechanism position positions is axially slidable by a bearing (not shown). It has been installed. Further, both ends of a carriage drive cord 10 such as a belt wound around a driving wheel 8 and a driven wheel 9 provided on the outside of each frame 2 are fixed to both ends of the carriage 7 in the width direction. Carriage drive 1 via this carriage drive wheel 8
X is the axial direction of each axis 5 and 6 by moving 0
It is reciprocally driven in a direction parallel to the printing surface P. And
The paper 3 is driven in a Y direction orthogonal to the X direction by a paper drive mechanism (not shown). By combining the movements in the X and Y directions, desired printing or the like is performed.

Next, regarding the pen position adjusting mechanism 1, the pen chuck mechanism 1
1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows in detail one pen position adjusting mechanism 1 and the like.

Here, the pen chuck mechanism 11 has a cylindrical sleeve 13 mounted in the sleeve guide 12 of the carriage 7 so as to be reciprocally movable in the vertical direction perpendicular to the printing surface P, and the inner surface of the sleeve 13 is equally spaced in the circumferential direction. Are formed by a plurality of (three in the present embodiment) holding claws 14, 14 ,. The sleeve 13 and the holding claw 14 are integrally formed of a synthetic resin material or the like, and the sleeve 13 is always printed by a compression spring 15 interposed between the lower end of the sleeve 13 and the bottom plate 7a of the carriage 7. The upper end of the sleeve guide 12 is biased by an upward force that moves away from P.
It is stopped by contacting the upper stopper 12a. Each of the holding claws 14 elastically clamps and holds the pen 16, and in this embodiment, the pen 16 is formed to hold a commercially available pen. Since many commercially available pens have a hexagonal or circular cross-sectional shape, three holding claws 14 may be provided as in the present embodiment or six holding claws 14 may be provided in order to properly hold both of them. Each holding claw 14 is long in the up-down direction and is curved so as to be convex outward, and in order to elastically clamp the pen 16,
In the free state in which the pen 16 is not clamped, the inner diameter of each holding claw 14 is smaller than the outer diameter of the pen 16 as shown by the chain line in FIG. Further, the pen tip 16a of the pen 16 is easily and surely centered, and
In order to securely hold and hold the pen 16 made of a commercially available pen, which is often tapered toward the pen tip 16a, the elastic force of each holding claw 14 is larger at the lower end in the pen tip 16a direction than at the upper end. Is formed. In order to reinforce the elasticity of the holding claw 14 for holding the pen 16, as shown in FIG. 1, an elastic auxiliary member 17 such as a rubber band or a spring is provided at an arbitrary position such as the upper end of the holding claw 14. It is recommended to wind it around the outer circumference.

The pen chuck mechanism 11 is provided with the pen position adjusting mechanism 1 of the present embodiment. This pen position adjusting mechanism 1
When the holding claw 14 is stopped at the raised position, the pen tip 16a of the pen 16 is positioned at a mounting reference position that protrudes from the sleeve 13 by a certain length, that is, a position of a certain height H by the printing surface P, and is held by the holding claw 14. Hold it so that the printing is always good. To further explain, the pen position adjusting mechanism 1 is a positioning device provided on the outside of the sleeve 13 as an example of a simultaneous movement distance regulating member for regulating the distance that the pen chuck mechanism 11 can move in the printing surface P direction at the same time as the pen 16. A protrusion 18 and a positioning stopper 19 that stops the descending of the sleeve 13 when the descending positioning protrusion 18 comes into contact are provided. Further, as an example of a single movement distance regulating member that regulates the distance that the pen 16 can independently move further in the printing surface P direction after the pen chuck mechanism 11 stops, the pen tip 16a comes into contact with the pen 16 to stop the lowering of the pen 16. A printing surface P is provided. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the distance H between the lower surface of the positioning projection 18 and the upper surface of the positioning stopper 19 when the sleeve 13 is stopped at the highest position is equal to the pen tip 16a of the pen 16 at that time. It is formed so as to be equal to the height H rising from the printing surface P.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

First, in order to mount the pen 16 in the pen chuck mechanism 11, the pen tip 16a is directed inside the sleeve guide 12 from the opening of the upper stopper 12a portion of the sleeve guide 12 provided in the carriage 7 toward the printing surface P direction. It is pushed in between the holding claws 14 so as to be inserted from above. This pen 16
When the holding claws 14 are pushed and spread against the elastic force, they are inserted downward, and when the pen 16 is inserted to some extent, the frictional force between the pen 16 and the respective holding claws 14 is reduced by the compression spring. It becomes larger than the elastic force of 15, and the sleeve 13 starts to descend against the elastic force of the compression spring 15. After that, the positioning protrusion 18 protruding from the sleeve 13 comes into contact with the positioning stopper 19 to physically prevent the lowering of the sleeve 13 and the holding claw 14. And pen 1
When 6 is further pushed, the pen 16 is further inserted while pushing and holding the holding claws 14, and the pen tip 16a of the pen 16 comes into contact with the printing surface P to physically prevent the lowering. If the pushing force of the pen 16 is released in this state,
The sleeve 13, the holding claw 14 and the pen 16 are raised together by the return elastic force of the compression spring 15, and the sleeve 1
The upper end surface of 3 comes into contact with the upper stopper 12a of the sleeve guide 12 and is stopped at the highest position. At this time, the pen tip 16a of the pen 16 is positioned at a mounting reference position that protrudes from the lower end of the sleeve 13 by a predetermined length, and is positioned at a position elevated by a predetermined height H from the printing surface P.

As described above, according to the pen position adjusting mechanism 1 of the present embodiment, the pen 16 having an arbitrary shape can be mounted so that the pen tip 16a is always aligned with a fixed mounting reference position. Can be performed satisfactorily.

In this state, the pen 16 is elastically held by the holding claws 14, and the elasticity of the lower end of the holding claw 14 is larger than that of the upper end, so that the pen tip 16a is centered accurately. Even if the pen 16 is tapered, it is held with a sufficient holding force. As described above, according to the pen chuck mechanism 1 of the present embodiment, an arbitrary thickness, length,
The pen 16a can be accurately centered and held by a very simple operation of various pens 16 having shapes and the like, and commercially available pens can be freely used for printing, etc. It is also possible to select the characteristics, the thickness of the print, and the like.

Further, when printing is performed using the pen 16, the positioning stopper 19 is moved from the position where it engages with the positioning protrusion 18, and the sleeve 13, the holding claw 14 and the pen 16 are freely directed toward the printing surface P. To be able to descend,
A pen lowering mechanism (not shown) provided on the carriage 7 lowers the pen 16 together with the sleeve 13 and the holding claws 14 to elastically contact the pen tip 16a with the printing surface P, thereby moving the carriage 7 in the X direction. The paper 3 is moved in the Y direction, and printing or the like is performed on the paper 3 in accordance with a print command or the like.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
Various changes can be made as necessary.

[Advantage of the Invention] Since the pen position adjusting mechanism of the present invention is constructed and operates in this manner, when the pen chuck mechanism holds various pens having different thickness, length, shape, etc. Regardless of the type, the pen tip can be positioned and held so as to always match the mounting reference position, and printing or the like can always be performed with an appropriate pressure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical side view showing an embodiment of a pen position adjusting mechanism of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a printer using the present invention. It is a top view which shows the outline of. 1 ... Pen position adjustment mechanism, 3 ... Paper, 7 ... Carriage, 11 ... Pen chuck mechanism, 13 ... Sleeve, 1
4 ... Holding claw, 16 ... Pen, 16a ... Pen tip, 18
…… Positioning protrusion, 19 …… Positioning stopper, P ……
Printed side.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A pen chuck mechanism that holds and holds a pen that is inserted in the printing surface direction, and attaches the pen tip in a predetermined manner to a pen chuck mechanism that is movable together with the pen in the printing surface direction. In a pen position adjusting mechanism that matches and holds a reference position, when the pen is inserted and held in the pen chuck mechanism, the pen chuck mechanism regulates a distance that the pen chuck mechanism can move simultaneously with the pen in the printing surface direction. The simultaneous movement distance regulation member, a single movement distance regulation member that regulates the distance that the pen can independently move further in the same direction after the pen chuck mechanism stops moving in the printing surface direction, and the pen is the pen. A stopper portion that stops the pen chuck mechanism from moving in a direction opposite to the printing surface direction at a predetermined position when the force of pushing the chuck mechanism is released. Pen position adjusting mechanism, characterized in that it comprises a. 2. A pen chuck mechanism comprises a cylindrical sleeve which can be moved toward and away from a printing surface, and a holding claw which is provided inside the sleeve and elastically clamps and holds the pen. The simultaneous movement distance regulating member includes a positioning protrusion provided on the sleeve and a positioning stopper that prevents movement of the sleeve and the holding claw by engagement of the protrusion, and the independent movement distance regulating member includes the printing surface. A pen position adjusting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the utility model is registered.