JPH09300604A - Manual printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly perform printing regardless of the moving direction of a manual printer by removing residual ink after transfer regardless of the rotary direction of a transfer roller. SOLUTION: When a manual printer 1 is scanned to the right at a time of prining, a guide shaft 19 is moved to the right corresponding to the rotation of a transfer roller 2 and only a cleaning roller 18b comes into contact with the transfer roller 2 after transfer to remove residual ink i2 . By this constitution, the residual ink i2 can be removed regardless of the moving direction of the manual printer 1 and proper printing becomes possible.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a manual printer, and more particularly, to a maintenance technique for a manual printer provided with a transfer means for transferring ink ejected by a recording head onto a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a device for printing on a desired place on various recording media which cannot be printed by a stationary printer, ink ejected from a recording head is transferred to a transfer roller or the like. There has been proposed a manual printer that prints on a recording medium via a transfer unit. In this printing apparatus, when a user manually scans a recording medium at an arbitrary speed, ink is ejected from the recording head to the transfer means based on the amount of movement of the apparatus and the print data input from the host computer. By rotating the transfer means, the ink is transferred to the recording medium and printing is performed. By doing so, the ink can be landed at a more accurate position than when the ink is ejected directly from the recording head onto the recording medium, so that printing suitable for color printing can be performed. Further, since the recording head is provided inside the apparatus, it can be sufficiently protected.

[0003]

However, in the conventional manual type printing apparatus as described above, the cleaning means for removing the ink remaining on the transfer roller which has finished the transfer to the recording medium is the side part of the transfer roller. Is provided on only one side of the sheet, and cleaning can be performed only when the transfer roller rotates in one direction. Therefore, since the rotation direction in which printing by the transfer roller is possible is limited to one direction, the moving direction of the printing device (printing direction) is also limited to one direction.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to remove residual ink after transfer regardless of the rotation direction of the transfer roller and perform proper printing regardless of the moving direction of the apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a manual type printing device capable of performing the above.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a manual printer according to the invention of claim 1 is a manual printer for printing on a recording medium by manually scanning the recording medium. In a printing apparatus, a recording head that ejects ink based on print data, and the ink ejected by the recording head adheres to the recording medium and rotates as the apparatus travels on the recording medium, thereby recording the ink. It is provided with a transfer means for transferring onto the top and a cleaning means provided on both sides of the transfer means for removing the ink remaining in the transfer means portion which has finished the transfer.

In the above structure, the cleaning means provided on both sides of the transfer means for transferring the ink adhered by the ejection from the recording head onto the recording medium removes the ink remaining in the transfer means portion after the transfer. Therefore, it is possible to remove the residual ink after the transfer regardless of the rotation direction of the transfer unit, and thus it is possible to properly perform the printing regardless of which direction the apparatus is moved.

Further, a manual type printer according to a second aspect of the invention is the manual type printer according to the first aspect, wherein the transfer means is a roller having a pulley portion formed thereon,
The cleaning unit connects a pair of cleaning roller units, which are provided on both sides of the transfer unit and can freely contact or not contact with the transfer unit, and the cleaning roller units are connected to each other, and contact the pulley unit. It consists of a guide rod that can move horizontally and horizontally.By moving the guide rod in the direction of rotation of the pulley part, only the cleaning roller part on the transfer means part that has completed transfer comes into contact with the transfer means. By rotating, the residual ink is removed.

In the above structure, the guide rod comes into contact with the pulley portion of the roller, and the guide rod moves in the rotation direction side of the pulley portion, so that only the cleaning roller portion on the side of the transfer means that has completed the transfer has the transfer means. Since the residual ink is removed by contacting with and rotating, the cleaning roller portion on the roller portion side to which the ink before transfer is attached does not remove the ink before transfer. Further, regardless of the rotation direction of the roller, only the cleaning roller portion on the side of the transfer means that has completed the transfer cleans the roller, so that the printing can be properly performed regardless of which direction the apparatus is moved.

The manual type printer according to a third aspect of the present invention is the manual type printer according to the first aspect, wherein the transfer means is a roller having a pulley portion, and the cleaning means. Is a pair of rotating members that are provided on both sides of the transfer unit and that contact the pulley unit and rotate with the rotation thereof, and contact / non-contact with the transfer unit according to the rotation of the rotating member. And a pad portion for removing the residual ink when the contact is made.

In the above structure, the rotating member and the pad portion are provided on both sides of the roller, and the rotating member rotates together with the rotation of the pulley portion of the roller, and the pad portion rotates the rotating member. Along with this, the roller is brought into contact with or out of contact with the roller, and residual ink is removed at the time of contact, so that only one pad portion of the cleaning means on both sides of the roller can be brought into contact with the roller for cleaning. . As a result, the pad portion on the roller side where the ink before transfer is attached does not come into contact with the roller, and the pad portion on the roller side where the residual ink after transfer is attached contacts the roller. For example, the residual ink after the transfer can be reliably removed without removing the ink before the transfer. As a result, it is possible to print properly no matter which direction the device is moved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manual printing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the recording means comprises an ink jet recording means. It was done.

In the above arrangement, since the recording means is an ink jet type recording means, the constitution is simpler than that of the wire dot type recording means using a printing ribbon or the like, and the entire apparatus can be downsized. Printing can be done more clearly.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a manual printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a usage state of a manual printer according to the present invention. In the figure, a body 1b of the manual type printing apparatus 1 has a square shape and is configured so that a user can easily support it by hand. At the lower end of the body 1b, there is provided a transfer roller (transfer means) 2 that causes the manual printer 1 to run by rotation and transfer ink. The body 1b is provided with an operation panel 3 on which power is turned on and off and on which operation switches for selecting a printing mode of the manual printing apparatus 1 are arranged. Also, in the body 1b,
A cable 4 is provided for inputting print data and the like from the host computer.

The user manually supports the body 1b and manually scans the recording medium (recording paper or the like) P with the transfer roller 2 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Etc. are printed on the recording medium P. At the time of printing, based on the rotation of the transfer roller 2 due to this manual scanning, the manual printer 1 and the recording medium P are printed.
The relative position with respect to is detected, and printing control is performed according to this relative position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal construction of the vicinity of the contact surface between the manual printer 1 and the recording medium P. Body 1b
An inkjet recording head 5 functioning as a recording unit is provided above the transfer roller 2 at the lower end of the. The transfer roller 2 is rotatably provided around the shaft 2a. Pulleys 2b and 2c are provided on the shaft 2a so as to rotate as the transfer roller 2 rotates. The belt 10 is drawn around the pulley 2b, and is configured to transmit the rotational force of the pulley 2b that rotates with the rotation of the transfer roller 2 to the encoder 11. The pulley 2c will be described later.

The encoder 11 is provided with slits 12 on the circumference at a predetermined interval, and the rotation speed of the transfer roller 2 (manual printing is performed by a photo interrupter 13 of the encoder 11 which is turned on and off by the rotation of the slit 12). The relative position between the device 1 and the recording medium P) is converted into the interval of the electric pulse signal, and the signal is input to the control unit described later. The photo interrupter 13 is also configured to detect the rotation direction of the transfer roller 2. Above the recording head 5, an ink tank 14 for supplying ink to the recording head 5, and from the ink tank 14 to the recording head 5
An ink flow path 15 is provided to send ink to.

Further, the manual printer 1 is provided with a recording operation by the recording head 5, a detection operation by the photo interrupter 13, a CPU for controlling an interface section (described later) for receiving print data, and the like. A control unit 16 including it is arranged. A print control signal from the control unit 16 to the recording head 5 is transmitted via an FPC (flexible printed circuit) 16a.
The transfer roller 2 is provided at the lower end of the body 1b with the recording medium P.
A detection switch 17 is provided to detect whether or not it is in contact with.

Cleaning rollers 18a and 18b for removing ink remaining on the transfer roller 2 after transfer are provided on both sides of the transfer roller 2. The cleaning roller 18a and the cleaning roller 18b are connected by a guide shaft 19, and the guide shaft 19 is set so as to come into contact with a pulley 2c provided on the transfer roller 2. This guide shaft 19 and pulley 2c
By the contact with the transfer roller 2, the cleaning rollers 18a and 18b move in the horizontal direction in accordance with the rotation of the transfer roller 2, and only one of the cleaning rollers comes into contact with the transfer roller 2 to perform cleaning.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the manual printer 1. CPU that controls the entire manual printing device 1
A host computer 23 is connected to 21 via an interface unit 22. Further, a ROM 24 storing a program for controlling each functional block, and a RAM 2 for recording print data from the host computer 23 input through the interface unit 22 are provided.
5 and an operation panel 3 composed of operation switches and the like. Further, a pulse signal from the encoder 11 that measures the rotation speed and the rotation direction of the transfer roller 2 and a detection signal from the detection switch 17 are input to the CPU 21. The CPU 21 drives the recording head 5 via the head driver 27 based on these signals.

The printing operation of the manual printer 1 having the above construction will be described. The manual printing device 1 has a ROM
The operation is performed according to a predetermined program stored in the storage 24. The input of the print data is performed by the CPU 2 when the mode for performing the printing by the switch operation of the operation panel 3 is selected.
It is performed by 1. Print data is stored in the host computer 2
3 is input via the interface unit 22, and the input print data is temporarily stored in the RAM 25. CPU
When the print start signal is received by a switch operation on the operation panel 3, after confirming that the print data is stored in the RAM 25, the manual print device 1 is set to the print standby state.

At this time, when the CPU 21 determines that the detection switch 17 is ON and that the rotary disk 12 has rotated, the CPU 21 controls the output of print data according to the rotation amount of the transfer roller 2, In response to this, the recording head 5 is driven to eject ink onto the transfer roller 2. The transfer roller 2 rotates as the manual printer 1 travels, and transfers this ink onto the recording medium P. Therefore, even if the scanning speed of the body 1b on the recording medium P is not uniform, predetermined printing can always be performed on the recording medium P.

Next, the cleaning rollers 18a and 18b
The operation of the cleaning means including the guide shaft 19 and the guide shaft 19 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing cleaning of the transfer roller 2 by the cleaning roller 18b, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing cleaning of the transfer roller 2 by the cleaning roller 18a. FIG.
As shown in (a), when the manual printer 1 travels to the right (in the direction of the arrow X in the figure) during printing, the transfer roller 2 rotates to the right accordingly, and the transfer is ejected from the recording head 5 and transferred. The ink i1 attached to the roller 2 is transferred to the recording medium P. At this time, since the guide shaft 19 is in contact with the pulley 2c, the guide shaft 19 horizontally moves to the right according to the rotation of the pulley 2c. By this movement, the cleaning roller 18b
Comes into contact with the transfer roller 2 that has completed the transfer and rotates to remove the residual ink i ₂ adhering to the transfer roller 2. Further, the cleaning roller 18a is the transfer roller 2
It is in a non-contact state. The cleaning roller 18b
When the roller comes into contact with the transfer roller 2, the guide shaft 19
And the pulley 2c are set to slip,
The pressing of the cleaning roller 18b does not prevent the transfer roller 2 from rotating. Also,
By setting in this way, the cleaning roller 18b
Is pressed against the transfer roller 2 with a constant pressure, so that the residual ink i ₂ can be removed efficiently.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the manual printer 1 is moved in the opposite direction (the direction of arrow Y in the figure), the transfer roller 2 rotates to the left, The guide shaft 19 horizontally moves leftward according to the rotation of the pulley 2c. By this movement, the cleaning roller 18a contacts the transfer roller 2 side that has completed the transfer to clean the transfer roller 2, and the cleaning roller 18b is brought into a non-contact state with the transfer roller 2.

As described above, according to the manual printer 1 of the present embodiment, the cleaning roller 18 is moved by the movement of the guide shaft 19 according to the rotation direction of the transfer roller 2.
Among the a and 18b, only the cleaning roller on the side of the transfer roller ₂ where the residual ink i ₂ adheres contacts the transfer roller ₂ and removes the residual ink i ₂ . As a result, the residual ink i _{2 is} appropriately changed depending on the moving direction of the manual printer 1.
Since it is possible to remove only the ink i ₁ before the transfer and not to remove the ink i ₁ before transfer, proper printing can be performed regardless of which direction the manual printer 1 is moved.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the guide shaft 19 moves according to the rotation of the pulley 2c formed on the transfer roller 2, so that only the cleaning roller on the transfer roller 2 portion side to which the residual ink i ₂ after transfer adheres The transfer roller 2 is cleaned by means of the cleaning method. However, each of the cleaning mechanisms provided on both sides of the transfer roller 2 is rotated in accordance with the rotation direction of the transfer roller 2, whereby the residual ink i after the transfer is transferred.
A configuration may be adopted in which only the transfer roller 2 portion to which ₂ is attached is cleaned.

Below, each of the cleaning mechanisms (cleaning means) provided on both sides of the transfer roller 2 is rotated in accordance with the rotation direction of the transfer roller ₂ to remove the residual ink i ₂ after the transfer. The above-mentioned manual printer 1'that does will be described with reference to FIG. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a transfer roller 2 and a cleaning mechanism portion of the manual printer 1 ′, FIG. 5A shows cleaning of the transfer roller 2 by the cleaning mechanism 30, and FIG. 5B shows transfer by the cleaning mechanism 31. It is a figure which shows the cleaning of the roller 2. As shown in FIG. 5, cleaning mechanisms 30 and 31 each including a rotating member and a cleaning pad are provided on both sides of the transfer roller 2, and the transfer roller 2 is formed with a pulley 2d. Rotating member 30
Parts a and 31a are pivotally supported by the device 1'and are provided so as to be rotatable by contact with the pulley 2d. The cleaning pads 30b and 31b are made of an elastic material such as rubber and are provided below the rotating members 30a and 31a in order to remove the residual ink i ₂ adhering to the transfer roller 2. When the rotating members 30a and 31a rotate as described above, the cleaning pads 30b and 31b are brought into contact or non-contact with the transfer roller 2 accordingly.
The residual ink i ₂ on the transfer roller ₂ is removed by the pressing force by sliding with a or 31a.

The cleaning according to the rotation of the transfer roller 2 of the cleaning mechanism will be specifically described. As shown in FIG. 5A, when the manual printer 1 ′ is scanned in the direction of the arrow X and the transfer roller 2 rotates clockwise,
The rotating member 30a rotates counterclockwise, and the cleaning pad 30b does not contact the transfer roller 2. Here, the rotating member 31a also rotates counterclockwise, but the cleaning pad 3
1b is in contact with the transfer roller 2. Therefore, since only the cleaning pad 31b cleans the transfer roller 2, the pre-transfer ink i ₁ attached to the transfer roller 2 is not removed, and the residual ink i ₂ after the transfer is removed.
Only one can be removed. Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the manual printer 1'is scanned in the arrow Y direction,
When the transfer roller 2 rotates counterclockwise, the rotating member 30
a and 31a rotate clockwise, and the cleaning pad 3
0b comes into contact with the transfer roller 2, and the cleaning pad 31
Since b is not in contact with the transfer roller 2, only the cleaning pad 30b cleans the transfer roller 2. Therefore, the ink i ₁ before transfer adhering to the transfer roller 2 is not removed, and the residual after transfer is retained. Only ink i ₂ can be removed.

Therefore, according to the above-mentioned manual printer 1 ', whichever direction the manual printer 1'moves,
Since the ink i ₁ can be transferred to the recording medium P and the residual ink i ₂ attached to the transfer roller 2 can be removed, proper printing can be performed.

[0029]

As described above, according to the manual printer of the first aspect of the present invention, the cleaning means provided on both sides of the transfer means allows the transfer means to remain on the transfer means after the transfer. Since the ink is removed, the residual ink after transfer can be removed regardless of the rotation direction of the transfer unit. Therefore, it is possible to properly perform printing regardless of which direction the device is moved.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the manual ink-jet printing apparatus moves the guide rod in accordance with the rotation of the pulley portion, so that the residual ink is left only by the cleaning roller portion on the transfer means portion side which has completed the transfer. Will be removed,
Only the ink remaining after the transfer can be removed without removing the ink before the transfer. Further, regardless of the rotation direction of the roller, only the cleaning roller portion on the side of the transfer means that has completed the transfer cleans the roller, so that the printing can be properly performed regardless of which direction the apparatus is moved.

Further, according to the manual type printing apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, since the rotating member rotates in accordance with the rotation of the roller, the residual ink is removed by the pad portion. If the pad part on the roller side where the ink before transfer is attached does not contact the roller, and the pad part on the roller side where the residual ink after transfer adheres to the roller, It is possible to reliably remove the residual ink after transfer without removing the previous ink. As a result, proper printing can be performed regardless of the direction in which the device is moved.

Further, according to the manual type printing apparatus of the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the recording means is an ink jet type recording means, it is more preferable than the wire dot type recording means using a printing ribbon or the like. The configuration is simple, the entire apparatus can be downsized, and moreover, printing can be performed more clearly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a usage state of a manual printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration in the vicinity of a contact surface between the manual printer and a recording medium.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the manual printing device.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are views showing a cleaning operation by each cleaning roller provided on both sides of the transfer roller.

5A and 5B are views showing a cleaning operation by the cleaning mechanism of the manual printer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1'manual printer 2 transfer roller (transfer means) 2c, 2d pulley (pulley portion) 5 recording head (recording means) 18a, 18b cleaning roller (cleaning roller portion) 19 guide shaft (guide rod) 30, 31 Cleaning mechanism (cleaning means) 30a, 31a Rotating members 30b, 31b Cleaning pad (pad portion) i ₁ , i ₂ Ink P Recording medium

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A manual printer that prints on a recording medium by manually scanning the recording medium, comprising: a recording head that ejects ink based on print data; and an ink ejected by the recording head. Transfer means that is attached and transfers the ink onto the recording medium by rotating as the apparatus runs on the recording medium, and the transfer means that is provided on both sides of the transfer means and that has completed the transfer. A manual printing device, comprising: a cleaning unit that removes ink remaining on a portion. 2. The transfer means comprises a roller having a pulley portion formed thereon, and the cleaning means is provided on both sides of the transfer means so as to be in contact / non-contact with the transfer means. The guide roller comprises a pair of cleaning roller portions and a guide rod that connects the cleaning roller portions to each other and is movable in the horizontal direction by contacting the pulley portion. The guide rod is provided on the rotation direction side of the pulley portion. 2. The residual ink is removed by moving only the cleaning roller portion on the side of the transfer means, which has completed the transfer, in contact with the transfer means and rotating by the movement. The manual printing device described in. 3. The transfer means comprises a roller having a pulley portion formed thereon, and the cleaning means is provided on both side portions of the transfer means and comes into contact with the pulley portion to rotate with the rotation thereof. A pair of rotating members, and contact / non-contact between the rotating member and the transfer means as the rotating member rotates,
2. The manual printer according to claim 1, further comprising a pad portion that removes the remaining ink when the contact is made. 4. The manual printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means is an ink jet recording means.