JPS6035177Y2 - thermal printer - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to an improvement to a thermal printer in which the electrode terminals of the substrate of the thermal head and the electrode terminals of the flexible cable from the control unit are electrically connected by pressing through an elastic member. .

A conventional thermal printer includes, for example, a platen 1 and a printing section 2, as shown in FIG.

The platen 1 is rotatably provided on a base (not shown), and a printing medium 3 is set thereon.

The printing unit 2 is provided on a base (not shown) and is provided in contact with the platen 1 via the printing medium 3.

This printing section 2 is connected to a flexible cable 5 consisting of a thermal head 4 and then to a control section (not shown).

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, this printing section 2 has a thermal head 4 and a plurality of long rows of electrode terminals 9 made of conductors on a substrate 7 made of glass ceramic or the like.

This thermal head 4 consists of a plurality of heating resistor elements 10.

The substrate 7 is adhesively fixed to a reinforcing plate 11 made of metal using an adhesive.

Further, the printed part 2 connects the electrode terminals 9 of the substrate 7 and the electrode terminals 13 of the plurality of rows of the flexible cable 5 to a flat rubber 14.
The reinforcing plate 1 is pressed by the holding plate 15 through the screws 16.
1, the mounting is fixed and electrical connections are made.

The thermal head 4 of the printing section 2 receives an electric signal from the control section, and a heating resistor element 1 generates heat in accordance with the signal.
0, the surface of the printing medium (thermal recording paper) 3 is discolored and printing is performed.

Now, as shown in FIG. 2, such a thermal head 4 has an electrode terminal 9 of a substrate 7 on which a conductor is formed, and an electrode terminal 1 of a flexible cable 5 that connects the electrode terminal 9 with the substrate 7.
3 and the presser plate 15 through the flat rubber 14 and the screw 1.
6, it is pressed and fixed, but in this case, it is difficult to cut the rubber 14 into a flat plate, so it is difficult to position it straight.Therefore, the contact between the long rows of both electrode terminals 9 and 13 is difficult. Defects occur.

Therefore, round bar rubber or tube rubber is used as a flat substitute for the rubber 14, but since the presser plate 14 that presses it is flat, the bar rubber or tube rubber is parallel to the terminals 9 and 13 rows. It often happens that the terminals 9 and 13 are not bent or bent, resulting in poor connection due to non-contact between the two terminals 9 and 13.

Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages.The purpose of this invention is to form a triangular bent part on the presser plate to increase the bending strength with the same weight. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thermal printer that uses a rubber rod or a thermal head that can keep the comb tube parallel and straight and make electrical connections.
Printing is performed by electrically connecting and fixing the electrode terminal of the substrate made of glass ceramic or the like and the flexible cable by pressing the terminal against the electrode terminal of the flexible cable with a presser plate through an elastic member. In a thermal printer, a triangular groove is formed in a part of the presser plate, and the presser plate is pressed against the triangular groove via an elastic member.

An embodiment of the thermal printer according to the present invention will be described below with reference to a perspective view of a triangular presser plate shown in FIG. 3 and a sectional side view of the thermal head shown in FIG.

The thermal printer of the present invention differs from the conventional thermal head presser plate shown in FIG. 2 in that the presser plate 17 has a triangular bent groove 18, as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, a rubber tube 19 or a rubber rod is inserted into this triangular groove 18 to connect the electrode terminal 13 of the flexible cable 5 and the electrode terminal 9 of the substrate 7 to the press plate 17.
When fixing with screw 20.20', rubber tube 1
Both terminals 13 and 9 are pressed by the elasticity of the terminal 9 to establish an electrical connection.

In the thermal printer configured in this way, the fourth
As shown in the figure, a metal reinforcing plate 11 of the thermal head 4
When the electrode terminal 13 of the flexible cable 5 is brought into contact with the electrode terminal 9 of the substrate 7 which is adhered to the substrate 7, and the rubber tube 19 is inserted into the triangular groove 18, the rubber tube 19 is straightened by the triangular groove. At the same time, the presser plate 17 having the groove 18 is screwed into the screw 20.20'.
By tightening the screws to the reinforcing plate 11 at
Similarly to increasing the strength by bending by 8, the rubber tube 19
are kept parallel and straight in the groove portion 18 and pressed by the elasticity of the rubber 19 to establish an electrical connection and fixation, thereby connecting to the control section.

Therefore, in such a thermal printer, the connection between the long rows of electrode terminals 9 and 13 in the thermal head 4 is achieved by inserting and pressing the elasticity of the rubber of the rubber tube 19 into the triangular groove 18. By fixing the presser plate 17 with the screws 20 and 20', the elasticity of the rubber tube 19 is compressed to ensure that both ends 9 and 13 are in contact and electrical connection is fixed, and this connection prevents electricity from the control unit. Depending on the signal, printing of image recording by forming dots in the printing section 2 can be performed.

As explained above with reference to the embodiments, in the thermal printer according to the present invention, the elasticity of both electrode terminals connecting the thermal head and the control unit is controlled by a press plate through a rubber tube inserted into a triangular groove. By pressing and fixing, the groove is corrected and electrical connections can be made automatically and easily with the rubber tube in a parallel and straight state, preventing poor contact between both terminals, and eliminating the need for conventional fixing. There are advantages such as no tools are required and workability is improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a thermal printer, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view configuring a thermal head using a conventional presser plate,
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a presser plate showing one embodiment of the thermal head of the present invention, and a cross-sectional side view configuring a thermal head to which the same shown in FIG. 4 is applied. In the figure, 1... platen, 2...
Printing section, 3... Printing medium, 4... Thermal head, 5... Flexible cable, 7
...Substrate, 9, 13... Electrode terminal, 1
0... Heating resistor element, 11... Reinforcement plate, 14... Flat rubber, 15.17...
... Pressing plate, 18 ... Triangular groove, 19
...Indicates a rubber tube.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A thermal printer that prints by electrically connecting and fixing the substrate and flexible cable by pressing the electrode terminals of the substrate made of glass ceramic or the like against the electrode terminals of the flexible cable with a presser plate through an elastic member. A thermal printer characterized in that a triangular groove is formed in a part of a presser plate, and the presser plate is pressed against the triangular groove via an elastic member.