JPH07117247A - Thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a structure wherein a head unit, a cutter block and a platen can be shunted from a paper-conveying passage when a jamming treatment or a maintenance operation is carried out and to simplify the operation thereof. CONSTITUTION:A head unit 3 having a thermal head is provided so as to be shunted from a paper-conveying passage. A cutter block 5 comprising a cutter that cuts a paper 7 passing through a gap between the thermal head and a platen opposed thereto is provided so as to be shunted from the paper-conveying passage. A bearing section that rotatably supports the platen is provided on the cutter block 5 and a stopper section 19 is provided on one of the head unit 3 and cutter block 5 and a stopper lever 21 that is stopped to the stopper section 19 is provided on the other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal printer having a cutter for cutting a paper after printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a printer employs a structure in which a paper conveyance path is opened and closed for jam clearance, maintenance, and the like. In the case of a thermal printer having a cutter, a structure in which the thermal head and the cutter are opened is adopted.

[0003]

In a conventional thermal printer having a cutter, the thermal head and the cutter are individually operated to open and close, and normally, the thermal head and the cutter are locked at a printing position. Since the locking mechanism is provided independently, the number of parts increases, which causes a problem of cost increase.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a head unit including a thermal head is installed so as to be retractable with respect to a sheet conveying path, and a sheet passing between the thermal head and a platen facing the thermal head. A cutter block including a cutter for cutting is installed so as to be retractable with respect to the paper transport path, and a bearing portion that rotatably supports the platen is provided on the cutter block, and one of the head unit and the cutter block is provided. The locking portion is provided, and the locking lever that is locked to the locking portion is provided on the other side.

[0005]

The head unit is fixed to the printing position and the cutter block is fixed to the sheet cutting position by locking the locking lever and the locking portion. When the locking lever is released from the locking portion, the head unit and the cutter block are retracted from the paper transport path. Moreover, since the platen is retracted together with the cutter block, the paper transport path is opened in a wide range.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a main frame, and side plates 2 formed on both sides of the main frame 1 rotatably support a support shaft 4 for holding a head unit 3 and a cutter block 5. The support shaft 6 is installed. The cutter block 5 is provided with a slit 8 through which the receipt paper 7 is passed, and a cutter (not shown) for cutting the receipt paper 7 is provided. Also, the side plate 2
A paper guide member 10 for guiding the receipt paper 7 and the journal paper 9 is provided between the paper guide members 10.
A feed roller 11 is provided above the rear part.
Furthermore, a U-shaped bearing groove 14 that rotatably supports the platen shaft 13 protruding from both ends of the platen 12 (see FIG. 2) is formed on the side plate 2, and a platen gear 15 is fixed to the end of the platen shaft 13. Has been done. Furthermore, the side plate 2
Includes a drive gear 17 driven by a motor 16 (see FIG. 2).
And an idle gear 18 that transmits the rotation of the drive gear 17 to the platen gear 15. Then,
On the side surface of the head unit 3, there is a locking shaft 1 which is a locking portion.
Locking claw 20 in which 9 is projected and locked to this locking shaft 19.
A locking lever 21 having the above is rotatably held by the cutter block 5 via a support shaft 22. The locking lever 21 includes a torsion spring 23 wound around a support shaft 22.
Is urged counterclockwise by.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the upper surface of the paper guide member 10 is curved so as to form a substantially semicircular recess. Further, the cutter block 5 has a plurality of guide pieces 24 for guiding both sides of the receipt paper 7 and the journal paper 9, and the semicircular lower surfaces of these guide pieces 24 and the upper surface of the paper guide member 10. A paper transport path 25 that guides the receipt paper 7 and the journal paper 9 is formed between and. A bearing portion 26 that rotatably supports the platen shaft 13 of the platen 12 is formed on a part of the guide piece 24.

As shown in FIG. 3, the head unit 3
Is a head plate 27 that is rotatably held by the support shaft 4, a thermal head 28 that is held by the head plate 27 with a certain amount of play in the contact and separation direction with respect to the platen 12, and the thermal head 28. It is composed of a spring 29 that presses the platen 12 side. The locking shaft 19 is erected on the side surface of the head plate 27.

In such a configuration, in the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the receipt paper 7 and the journal paper 9 are
The sheet is guided by the sheet conveying path 25 and fed by the feed roller 11 between the platen 12 and the thermal head 28,
An ink ribbon (not shown) is supplied between the sheets 7 and 9 and the thermal head 28. Then, printing is performed by driving the thermal head 28. When the motor 16 is driven to rotate the platen 12 clockwise, the receipt paper 7 and the journal paper 9 are conveyed upward, and the printed receipt paper 7 is cut as a receipt by driving the cutter. The journal paper 9 is taken up by a take-up reel (not shown). The cutter may be manually driven.

When a jam occurs in the paper transport path 25 or during maintenance, the locking lever 21 is rotated clockwise around the support shaft 22 against the biasing force of the torsion spring 23 by manual operation. To do. As a result, the locking claw 20 is disengaged from the locking shaft 19, and as shown in FIG. 4, the head unit 3 is rotated leftward about the support shaft 4, and the cutter block 5 is moved about the support shaft 6. Platen 12
With this, the sheet conveying path 25 is opened in a wide range by rotating upward. As a result, jam clearance and maintenance can be easily performed.

The present invention relates to a thermal printer which does not use the journal paper 9, and a thermal printer which is called a bottom pass system and which has a paper transport path for feeding the paper from below between the platen 12 and the thermal head 28. Also applies. Further, a locking portion including the locking shaft 19 may be provided in the cutter block 5, and a locking lever 21 locked by the locking portion may be provided in the head unit 3.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cutter block is provided with the bearing portion for rotatably supporting the platen, the one of the head unit and the cutter block is provided with the engaging portion, and the other is engaged with the engaging portion. Since the locking lever to be stopped is provided, the head unit can be fixed to the printing position and the cutter block can be fixed to the paper cutting position by locking the locking lever and the locking portion. By removing the locking lever from the locking part, the head unit and cutter block can be retracted from the paper transport path, and the platen can be retracted together with the cutter block, so the paper transport path can be opened widely. The jam block and the head unit that hold the platen can be fixed with a single locking lever. Bets for can, improves the operability, it is possible to reduce the cost by reducing the number of parts.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a printing state with a part cut away.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state in which a locking lever is omitted with a part cut away.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which a head unit and a cutter block are opened with a part cut away.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Head Unit 5 Cutter Block 7 Paper 12 Platen 19 Locking Part 21 Locking Lever 25 Paper Conveying Path 26 Bearing Part 28 Thermal Head

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cutter block including a cutter for arranging a head unit including a thermal head so as to be retractable with respect to a sheet conveying path and cutting a sheet passing between the thermal head and a platen facing the thermal head. Is provided so as to be retractable with respect to the paper transport path, a bearing portion that rotatably supports the platen is provided on the cutter block, and a locking portion is provided on one of the head unit and the cutter block and the other is provided on the other side. A thermal printer comprising a locking lever that is locked to a locking portion.