JPH0776070B2 - Label printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a label printer for automatically issuing recorded labels one by one.

[Conventional technology]

Equipped with a recording paper made by sticking a number of peelable labels on a continuous mount, after the recording on one label is completed, the continuous mount is advanced by a predetermined length, and the label for which recording is completed (hereinafter,
A part of the recording label) is peeled off from the continuous mount and sent to the label outlet of the casing, and the next label is recorded and sent out by detecting that the recording label is taken out by the optical sensor. Label printers are known.

By the way, a conventional optical sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a recording label uses a transmissive sensor composed of a light emitting part and a light receiving part, and the light emitting part is arranged at a lower position in the approximate center of the recording label and the light receiving part Was placed in the same upper position.

If there is a recording label at the label outlet, the light from the light emitting unit is blocked by the label, so the light receiving unit is in a non-detection state and the label printer maintains the state as it is, but the recording label is manually detected. When pulled up and peeled off from the continuous backing sheet, the light from the light emitting section enters the light receiving section, so the light receiving section enters the detection state and the next label is recorded. Then, the record label is sent to the label outlet.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, in the conventional label printer, since the optical sensor and a part of the casing to which the sensor is attached are present at the upper position and the lower position in the approximate center of the recording label, the optical sensor and a part of the casing pull up the recording label. As a result, there is a problem in that the recording label cannot be taken out smoothly and quickly, and the recording label is easily broken.

Further, since the light receiving portion of the optical sensor faces downward in the vertical direction, there is a problem that malfunction due to disturbance is likely to occur, such as being easily affected by reflected light due to irradiation of an interior light or the like.

The present invention has an object to provide a label printer which solves the problems existing in the related art.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The present invention is provided with a recording paper R formed by sticking a large number of peelable labels L ... To a continuous mount B, and after the recording on one label L is completed, the continuous mount B is advanced by a predetermined length to record a label. A part of Le is peeled off from the continuous mount B and sent to the label outlet 4 of the casing 3, and when the recording label Le is taken out by the optical sensor 5, the next label L is recorded and sent out. In constructing the label printer 1 having the above-described structure, in particular, the recess 18 is provided in the front surface of the casing 3, and the label outlet 4 for delivering the recording label Le is disposed in the recess 18 so as to face the recess 18. Thus, the opening S for opening the upper side and the lower side of the recording label Le is provided, and the optical sensor 5 is configured by the light emitting unit 5s and the light receiving unit 5r, and the light receiving unit 5r is located above one side of the recording label Le. , On the other hand, record the light emitting part 5s Wherein the other side sideways of Le and downward it is disposed, respectively.

[Action]

According to the label printer 1 of the present invention, the optical path E from the light emitting portion 5s to the light receiving portion 5r extends from one lateral side of the recording label Le to the other lateral side thereof and passes through a predetermined position of the recording label Le. Thus, the presence or absence of the recording label Le in the optical path E can be detected.

At this time, the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving unit 5r faces obliquely downward, so that it is less likely to be affected by disturbances such as the irradiation light of the room light.

Further, the light emitting portion 5s and the light receiving portion 5r do not exist above and below the recording label Le, and the opening S can be provided above and below the recording label Le, and the recording label to be taken out can be provided.
The passage for Le is secured.

〔Example〕

Next, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, in order to clarify the present invention, the overall configuration of the label printer 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 4 shows an external configuration of the label printer 1. A casing 3 is provided with a display unit 12 and a key arrangement operation unit 13 on the left side of the upper surface 3u, and an opening / closing cover 14 for setting the recording paper R on the right side. On the other hand, a memory card insertion slot 15 is provided on the left side of the front face 3f, a label outlet 4 for exposing the recording label Le is provided on the upper right side, and a mount outlet for discharging the continuous mount B on the lower right side. Provide 17. In this case, a concave portion 18 is formed from the front surface portion 3f to the upper surface portion 3u of the casing 3, and the label outlet 4 is provided in the concave portion 18. An opening S is formed by the recess 18, and the upper part of the recording label Le is almost completely opened (third part).
See figure). Further, a connector connecting portion 19, a display density adjusting portion 20 of the display portion 12, and the like are provided on the side surface portion 3s of the casing 3.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows a schematic internal structure of the label printer 1.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a paper roll, which is formed by winding a recording paper R having a large number of peelable labels L ...

On the other hand, a platen roller 22 is provided near the inside of the label outlet 4.
And a thermal head 23 above the platen roller 22. The thermal head 23 is connected to a recording circuit (not shown) and is biased to press the upper surface of the platen roller 22.

A separator pin 24 having a relatively small diameter is provided in front of the platen roller 22, and a continuous mount B is provided below the platen roller 22.
A transfer roller mechanism 25 including a drive roller 25a and an idle roller 25b for transferring the sheet is disposed, and a guide roller 26 is disposed between the platen roller 22 and the sheet roll 21.

Furthermore, a recording label Le is provided on the front side inside the casing 3.
An optical sensor 5 for detecting the presence or absence of is provided. The optical sensor 5, the transfer roller mechanism 25, and the thermal head 23 are connected to a control circuit (not shown). This allows the transfer roller mechanism
The operations of 25 and the thermal head 23 are controlled in accordance with the detection state of the optical sensor 5.

Next, the optical sensor 5 forming the essential part of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

First, the light emitting portion 5s and the light receiving portion 5r forming the optical sensor 5 are arranged inside the left and right facing surface portions 3x and 3y that form the concave portion 18 in the casing 3, respectively. That is, the first
As shown in the figure, a light emitting portion 5s using a light emitting diode or the like is arranged on the right side of the recording label Le and below the recording label Le. Further, a light receiving portion 5r using a phototransistor or the like is arranged at a position laterally to the left of the recording label Le and above the recording label Le. In this case, the optical path E from the light emitting portion 5s to the light receiving portion 5r is arranged such that the optical path E passes through substantially the central position of the recording label Le as shown in FIG. The optical path E is secured by providing an opening or the like in the facing surface portions 3x and 3y.

As described above, in disposing the light receiving unit 5r, since the light receiving surface can be directed obliquely downward, the influence of disturbance such as reflected light by the room light can be made extremely small.

Next, the operation and function of the label printer 1 according to the present invention will be described.

First, the recording paper R fed from the paper roll 21 passes through the guide roller 26, the platen roller 22 and the thermal head 23 and is loaded on the separator pin 24. Then, the continuous mount B is further discharged from the mount discharge port 17 to the outside through the transfer roller mechanism 25. At this time, the transfer direction of the continuous backing sheet B changes substantially at a right angle by the separator pin 24, so that the recording label Le that has passed through the separator pin 24 is
As shown in the figure, it is peeled off from the continuous mount B and sent to the label take-out port 4 in the front.

By the way, since the recording label Le stops at a predetermined position of the label outlet 4, the light from the light emitting section 5s is blocked by the recording label Le. As a result, the light receiving section 5r becomes a non-light receiving state,
The label printer 1 maintains the same state. In this case, only the rear part of the recording label Le is attached to the continuous mount B (see FIG. 3).

On the other hand, the recording label Le at the label outlet 4 can be peeled off from the continuous mount B by pulling it up by hand. At this time, since the upper side of the recording label Le is almost completely opened by the opening S by the concave portion 18, the recording label Le can be taken out smoothly and quickly without being obstructed by the obstacle.

Further, by taking out the recording label Le from the label take-out port 4, the light receiving section 5r receives the light from the light emitting section 5s, and the light receiving section 5r
Becomes a light receiving state. As a result, the platen roller 22 and the transfer roller mechanism 25 are actuated, the continuous mount B is forward-fed, and the thermal head 23 performs predetermined recording (thermal recording) on the label L. And record label
Le is delivered to a predetermined position of the label take-out port 4, and the operation is stopped. In this way, the recording timing of the thermal head 23 or the sending timing of the platen roller 22 and the transfer roller mechanism 25 is controlled by the light receiving state of the light receiving section 5r.

Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and the detailed configurations and the like can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, in the label printer according to the present invention, the concave portion 18 is provided in the front surface of the casing 3, and the label outlet 4 for delivering the recording label Le is disposed in the concave portion 18 so as to face the concave portion 18. , An opening S for opening the upper and lower sides of the recording label Le is provided, and the optical sensor 5 is composed of a light emitting portion 5s and a light receiving portion 5r, and the light receiving portion 5r is formed as a recording label.
On one side of Le, above and on the other side, the light emitting part 5s is recorded label
Since it is arranged on the other side of Le and on the lower side, the following remarkable effects are obtained.

Since the concave portion is provided on the front surface of the casing, the recording label can be taken out smoothly and quickly by the opening portions above and below the recording label. Moreover, the protection of the label can be strengthened by preventing the record label from being broken.

Since the light receiving portion of the optical sensor can be arranged obliquely downward, it is less likely to be affected by a disturbance such as an interior light, which can contribute to prevention of malfunction and improvement of reliability.

The open portion makes it easy to confirm the quality of the recording state of the recording label, which contributes to improving workability.

[Brief description of drawings]

 FIG. 1: Partial front view of a label printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2: Partial plan view of the same label printer, FIG. 3: Internal configuration diagram showing the main part of the same label printer, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the label printer. In the drawing, 1: label printer, 3: casing 4: label outlet, 5: optical sensor 5s: light emitting part, 5r: light receiving part L: label, Le: recording label B: continuous mount, R: recording paper S: Open section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A recording paper (R) comprising a large number of peelable labels (L) ... Affixed to a continuous paper (B), the continuous paper (R) after recording on one label (L). B) is advanced by a predetermined length, a part of the recording label (Le) is peeled off from the continuous backing sheet (B) and sent to the label outlet (4) of the casing (3), and at the same time by the optical sensor (5). In a label printer which detects that the recording label (Le) has been taken out and records and sends out the next label (L), a recess (18) is provided on the front surface of the casing (3), and the recess (18) is provided. An opening portion for opening the upper side and the lower side of the recording label (Le) by arranging a label outlet (4) for sending the recording label (Le) inside the (18) so as to face the concave portion (18). (S) is provided, and the optical sensor (5) is provided with a light emitting section (5s) and a light receiving section (5r). Configured, receiving portion (5r) on one side sideways and above the recording label (Le) by,
On the other hand, the label printer characterized in that the light emitting portion (5s) is arranged laterally and downward on the other side of the recording label (Le).