JPH1135022A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a label printer which can print a label of the outside wrapping type and a label of the inside wrapping type as well using one printer without causing any problem. SOLUTION: A first guide member 31 having a first guide part 35 for guiding an outside wrapping label L1 between a printing head 12 and a label holding part 14 and a second guide member 32 having a second guide part 45 for guiding an inside wrapping label L2 are disposed in parallel with each other. The part 35 and part 45 each have an equivalent shape. A gap G for insertion of a label is provided between the member 31 and the member 32, and the center C of the holding part 14 is located on an extension of the gap G. A label width guide 60 can be selectively attached either to the part 35 or to the part 45.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label printer for performing desired printing on a label with a backing sheet wound in a roll shape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A label printer 1 shown in FIG. 6 includes a head section 3 having a print head 2, a platen section 4 facing the print head 2, and the like. Label L1 to be printed
Is wound in a roll shape while being attached to a backing paper D which is continuous in a tape shape, and the roll R is rotatably held by the label holding portion 5. The label L1 is fed out from the roll R, passes between the print head 2 and the platen unit 4, and is printed on the surface (print surface) of the label L1 by the print head 2. The printed label L1 is peeled off from the backing paper D at the leading end of the peeling member 6, and the backing paper D is wound on the backing paper winding shaft 7. A label guide 8 is provided between the print head 2 and the label holding section 5 to give the label L1 an appropriate back tension.

The label L1 is a so-called outer-wound type label. The outer winding type label L1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (A), the label L1 is wound so as to be on the outside and the mount D is on the inside. On the other hand, there is also known an inner-wound type label L2 shown in FIG. 5 (B), in which the label L2 is wound inside such that the label L2 is inside and the mount D is outside. That is, the positions of the labels L1 and L2 with respect to the mount D are reversed between the outer winding label L1 and the inner winding label L2.

For this reason, for example, in the conventional label printer 1 shown in FIG.
In order to face the side, it is necessary to set the roll R on the label holding portion 5 so that the label L1 is fed out from the upper surface side of the roll R as shown by a dashed line. On the other hand, in the case of the inner winding label L2, it is necessary to set the label L2 on the label holding portion 5 so that the label L2 is fed out from the lower surface side of the roll R as shown by a two-dot chain line.

[0005]

However, the conventional internal label printer 1 for externally wrapped labels has an internal wrapped label L2.
Is set, the label L2 for the label guide 8 or the like is set.
Is significantly different from the externally wound label L1,
The back tension to be applied to the inner wrapping label L2 is greatly different, which causes printing defects such as printing elongation or contraction, and also causes the label holding portion 5
May interfere with the mount D wound on the mount winding shaft 7. For this reason, conventionally, a label printer dedicated to externally wound labels and a label printer dedicated to internal wound labels have been required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a label printer which can print both an externally wound label and an internally wound label without any problem.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a label printer according to the present invention is capable of holding a roll of an externally wound label and a roll of an internally wound label, and is capable of holding the label toward the print head. A label holding portion for selectively holding one of the types of rolls, and a first guide portion provided between the label holding portion and the print head and in contact with the outer winding label at a position near the label holding portion. First
And a second guide portion which is arranged in parallel with the first guide member along the first guide member and in which the mount of the inner-wound label is in contact with the position near the label holding portion. Wherein the label holding portion is positioned on an extension of a label insertion gap formed between the first guide member and the second guide member.

[0008] In the label printer of the present invention having the above-described configuration, either the roll of the outer-wound label or the roll of the inner-wound label is held by the label holding unit in such a manner that the label faces the print head. The outer winding label reaches the print head while being guided by the first guide portion. The inner winding label reaches the print head while being guided by the second guide.

The opposing portions of the first guide portion and the second guide portion have the same shape, and the first guide member and the second guide portion have the same shape.
The label holding part is located on the extension of the label insertion gap between the guide members of Contact can be made under the same conditions, and an extreme change in back tension is avoided.

The label printer of the present invention may include a label width guide that can be fitted to both the first guide and the second guide. In this case, the notch portions are respectively formed in the first guide portion and the second guide portion, so that the label width guide can be attached to and removed from these guide portions. The label width guide is attached to the first guide part when setting the outer winding label, and the label width guide is attached to the second guide part when setting the inner winding label.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The label printer 10 of the thermal transfer type shown in FIG. 1 includes a printing unit 13 having a print head 12, a rotatable label holding unit 14, and a mounting paper winding shaft 1 inside a housing 11 as a base member.
5 and the like. The label holding section 14 can hold the center of the roll R of the outer-wound type label L1 wound in a roll shape, and can hold the inner-wound type label L2.
The center of the roll R can also be held.

[0012] As shown in FIG.
Roll R is tightly wound so that the label L1 attached to the mount D is on the outside and the mount D is on the inside. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the roll R of the inner winding label L2 is wound such that the label L2 attached to the mount D faces the inside of the roll R.

Therefore, in order to direct the printing surface of the outer winding label L1 toward the print head 12, the label L1 is moved from the upper surface of the roll R to the printing unit 1 as shown by a dashed line in FIG.
The roll R is set on the label holding unit 14 so as to be unreeled toward No.3. On the other hand, in the case of the inner-wound label L2, the roll R is set on the label holding unit 14 so that the label L2 is fed out from the lower surface side of the roll R toward the printing unit 13 as shown by a two-dot chain line.

The line segment A in FIG.
1 shows the last feeding position of the label L1 when the outer diameter of the roll R is reduced due to consumption of 1. Line segment B in FIG.
Indicates the final feeding position of the label L2 when the inner diameter of the roll R is reduced due to consumption of the inner wound label L2.

The printing unit 13 includes a frame 20, a head unit 21 having the printing head 12, and a printing head 12.
A platen portion 22 provided at a position facing the platen portion; a peeling member 23 disposed near the platen portion 22;
And so on.

The print head 12 is pressed against the platen 22 by a spring 25, and a label L1 (or L) with a mount D is provided between the print head 12 and the platen 22.
2) is to be sandwiched. The label L1 (or L2) is made of heat-sensitive paper which is colored by heat. When the heating element of the print head 12 is energized, the label L1 (or L2) is printed on the label L1 (or L2) according to a desired print pattern.

The leading end of the peeling member 23 has a sharp angle, and the label L1 (or L2) is peeled off from the backing D when the mount D turns downward at an acute angle at the end of the peeling member 23. It is configured as follows. The board D after peeling is wound on the board winding shaft 15 while being guided by the board guide 24. Platen part 22
Is driven to rotate in the feed direction of the label L1 (or L2) by a rotation drive mechanism (not shown).

A first guide member 31 and a second guide member 32 are provided between the print head 12 and the label holding portion 14 so as to face in parallel with each other. At the rear end of the first guide member 31, that is, at a position near the label holding portion 14, a first guide portion 35 having an arcuate curved surface to which the externally wound label L 1 fed from the roll R first comes into contact is provided. I have. As shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the first guide portion 35 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an opening 36 on the front side.

At the front end of the first guide member 31, that is, at a position near the platen portion 22, an intermediate guide portion 40 having a downwardly convex arcuate curved surface is provided. Intermediate guide part 40
Is formed in a cylindrical shape having an opening 41 on the upper side.

The second guide member 32 is arranged in parallel with the first guide member 31 along the first guide member 31. At the rear end of the second guide member 32, that is, at a position near the label holding portion 14, an arcuate curved surface on which the mount D of the inner winding label L2 (shown in FIG. A second guide 45 is provided. The second guide portion 45 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an opening 46 on the front side. Front end 5 of second guide member 32
0 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an opening 51 on the rear side.

The first guide member 31 and the second guide member 32 are made of, for example, an extruded material such as an aluminum alloy or an integrally molded product of a synthetic resin. The first guide portion 35 of the first guide member 31 and the second guide portion 45 of the second guide member 32 are formed such that mutually opposing portions have the same shape.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first guide member 31
By screwing a screw 55 such as a tapping screw into both ends of each of the guide portions 35 and 40,
The printing unit 13 is fixed to a side plate of the frame 20 or the like. The second guide member 32 also includes the guide portion 45 and the front end portion 5.
For example, by screwing a tapping screw or the like into each end of each
Is fixed to the side plate portion or the like.

A gap G for inserting a label is formed between the opposing surfaces of the first guide member 31 and the second guide member 32. On the extension of this gap G, that is, the line segment P shown in FIG.
The above-mentioned label holding portion 14 is located on the extension of the area between 1 and P2. Desirably, the center C of the label holding unit 14 is located on or near the extension of the center M of the gap G.

The mount winding shaft 15 is provided with an externally wound label L.
1 is provided at a position that does not interfere with the line segment connecting the outer circumference of the maximum diameter of the first roll R and the first guide portion 35, and the outer circumference of the maximum diameter of the roll R of the inner winding label L2 and the second guide portion 4 are provided.
5 is provided at a position that does not interfere with the line segment connecting the line 5 and the line 5.

A label width guide 60 for preventing the label L1 (or L2) from meandering in the width direction is selectively attached to one of the guide members 31, 32.
The label width guide 60 is, for example, an integrally molded product of a synthetic resin, and has a cross-sectional shape that can be fitted to both the first guide portion 35 and the second guide portion 45.

That is, the label width guide 60 is formed into a substantially C-shaped cross-section so as to enclose the first guide portion 35 or the second guide portion 45 as shown in FIG. The engaging portion 62 is adapted to be fitted into the opening 36 of the first guide portion 35 or the opening 46 of the second guide portion 45. This label width guide 60 can be slid in the longitudinal direction of the first guide portion 35 or the second guide portion 45 (the width direction of the labels L1, L2).

FIG. 4 shows the first guide member 31 and the second guide member 3 as representatives of the first guide member 31.
2, a notch portion 65 is formed by notching a part of each of the guide portions 35 and 45, and this notch portion 65 is formed.
The label width guide 60 can be attached to or detached from the first guide portion 35 or the second guide portion 45 by utilizing the above.

That is, in order to attach the label width guide 60 to the first guide portion 35 or the second guide portion 45, the label width guide 60 is inserted into the notch portion 65 and then slid in the lateral direction so that the first guide portion 35 can be attached. Alternatively, it may be fitted to the second guide portion 45. In order to remove the label width guide 60 from the guide portions 35 and 45, the label width guide 60 may be removed from the guide portions 35 and 45 by sliding the label width guide 60 to the notch portion 65.

The label width guide 60 is attached to the first guide portion 35 as shown in FIG. 2 when the externally wound label L1 is set in the label holding portion 14. When the inner winding label L2 is set in the label holding section 14, the label width guide 60 is turned upside down as shown in FIG.
To the guide part 45 of the above.

In the case of the printing unit 13 in which the label L1 (or L2) passes through the center of the print head 12 in the width direction, two label width guides 60 are connected to the center of the print head 12 in the width direction. , The label L1 (or L2) can be centered. Print head 1 with label L1 (or L2)
In the case of the printing unit 13 configured to be shifted to the reference position on one side of No. 2, one label width guide 60 is attached to a predetermined position of the guide portion 35 (or 45).
The position in the width direction of the label L1 (or L2) can be regulated.

When setting the externally wound label L1, the label printer 10 having the above-described configuration is arranged so that the label L1 is fed out from the upper side of the roll R as shown in FIG.
Is set on the label holding unit 14. After passing the label L1 under the first guide member 31 and between the print head 12 and the platen section 22, the peeling member 2
The mount D is wound around the mount winding shaft 15 via the mount 3 and the mount guide 24. In this case, the outer winding label L1 is attached to the first guide portion 3.
5 is guided to the print head 12 while being in contact with the lower surface of the intermediate guide portion 40.

When setting the inner winding label L2,
As shown in FIG. 3, the roll R is set in the label holding section 14 so that the label L2 is fed from the lower side of the roll R. After the label L2 is passed over the second guide member 32 and between the print head 12 and the platen section 22, the backing sheet D is passed through the peeling member 23 and the backing sheet guide 24 to the backing sheet winding shaft 15. Wrap around. In this case, the label L
2 is in contact with the upper surface of the second guide portion 45, and the label L2 is guided to the print head 12 while being in contact with the lower surface of the intermediate guide portion 40.

In the label printer 10 of this embodiment, the first guide portion 35 of the first guide member 31 and the second guide portion 45 of the second guide member 32 have the same shape, and Guide member 31 and second guide member 3
2 and the center C of the label holding portion 14 on the extension of the gap G between
And the outer winding label L1 and the inner winding label L2 are in contact with the common intermediate guide portion 40,
The outer wrapping label L1 and the inner wrapping label L2 are the guide members
1 and 32 can be contacted under substantially the same conditions, and the frictional force between the labels L1 and L2 and the guide members 31 and 32 and the back tension to be applied to the labels L1 and L2 can be prevented from being extremely different.

In addition, since the label width guide 60 common to the first guide member 31 and the second guide member 32 is configured to be detachable, the label width guide 60 can be attached to the first label member in the case of the externally wound label L1. The label width guide 60 is attached to the second guide member 32 in the case of the inwardly wound label L2, and the label width guide 6 is attached to only one of the upper and lower guide members 31, 32.
Since 0 is provided, the label width guides 60 do not interfere with each other.

[0035]

According to the present invention, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of printing defects such as print elongation and shrinkage, regardless of whether an outer-wound label or an inner-wound label is set. The externally wound label and the internally wound label can be printed using a single label printer without any problem, for example, the interference between the label and the sheet wound on the sheet winding shaft can be avoided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a part of a label printer showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view showing a part of the label printer on which an externally wound label is set.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view showing a part of the label printer on which an inner winding label is set.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a first guide member, a label width guide, and the like used in the label printer.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an outer winding label and an inner winding label.

FIG. 6 is a side view schematically showing a part of a conventional label printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Label printer 12 ... Print head 14 ... Label holding part 31 ... First guide member 32 ... Second guide member 35 ... First guide part 40 ... Intermediate guide part 45 ... Second guide part 60 ... Label width guide L1 … Outer winding label L2… Inner winding label G… Gap for label insertion

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. The printer according to claim 2, wherein the roll is capable of holding a roll of an outer-wound label wound so that the label is on the outside and a roll of an inner-wound label wound so that the label is on the inside, and directs the label toward the print head. A label holding unit for selectively holding one of the types of rolls, and a first guide unit provided between the label holding unit and the print head and in contact with the outer winding label at a position near the label holding unit. A second guide having a first guide member and a second guide portion arranged in parallel with the first guide member along the first guide member and in contact with the mount of the inner winding label at a position near the label holding portion. Wherein the label holding portion is positioned on an extension of a label insertion gap formed between the first guide member and the second guide member. Lab Printer. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first guide portion and said second guide portion have mutually opposing portions having the same shape and a label width guide capable of being fitted to said guide portions. The notch portions are formed in the guide portion and the second guide portion, respectively, so that the label width guide can be attached to and detached from these guide portions, and the label width is set when the externally wound label is set in the label holding portion. 2. A label printer according to claim 1, wherein a guide is attached to said first guide portion, and said label width guide is attached to said second guide portion when setting an inner winding label.