JPS6161987B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for thermal printing on thermal paper.

For example, in automatic ticket vending machines for train tickets,
A thermal printing device is used to print the boarding station name, fare, etc. on the ticket. This thermal printing device is
It consists of a thermal head that has a heat generating section on one side, and a platen roller that presses thermal paper against the heat generating section of the thermal head and moves the thermal paper in one direction. By applying thermal signals corresponding to predetermined letters, numbers, symbols, etc. to the paper, these characters,
It displays numbers or symbols. However, in such thermal printing devices, due to the large amount of printing processing, the thermal head may get dirty and the sharpness of the print may be significantly reduced. Thermal paper may become jammed between these, requiring periodic inspection, cleaning, and maintenance, as well as urgent removal of thermal paper jams.

This invention was made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to rotatably pivot a thermal head so that it can move toward and away from the roller, and to move the thermal head away from the roller. It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal printing device that can be easily cleaned and inspected, and can also easily remove jammed thermal paper.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on drawings in which it is applied to an automatic ticket vending machine for railway tickets.

In the figure, 1 is a frame, which is fixed to the body 2. Reference numeral 3 denotes a drum pivotally supported by the frame 1, on which tape-shaped recording paper 4 is wound in a laminated manner.
This tape-shaped recording paper 4 has a heat-sensitive layer formed on one side and a magnetic recording layer formed on the other side. 5
is a recording paper remaining amount detector that comes into elastic contact with the outermost surface of the recording paper 4 wound around the drum 3 to detect the amount of recording paper 4 remaining on the drum 3.
6, 6 are guide rollers, and 7 is a guide plate, which guides the recording paper 4 fed out from the drum 3. 8, 8 is a transfer roller;
The recording sheets 4 are moved in one direction while facing each other. 9
A cutter is used to cut the recording paper 4 into a predetermined length, that is, the length of the ticket, to produce individual tickets 4'. 10
is a thermal head, which has a heat-generating portion on one side, which will be described later, and prints a predetermined heat on the heat-sensitive layer of the note 4' cut by the cutter 9. A platen roller 11 is provided opposite to the thermal head 10, and feeds the ticket 4' in one direction while holding the ticket 4' between the platen roller 11 and the thermal head 10. 12 and 13 are conveyor belts, and the ticket 4' is held between these conveyor belts 12 and 13 and conveyed in one direction. Reference numerals 14 and 14 denote magnetic heads, which magnetically record on the magnetic recording layer of the ticket 4' which is being held and moved between the conveyor belts 12 and 13. Note that this magnetic recording is used as a signal to open and close the gate of an automatic ticket gate. 15, 15 are each magnetic head 14, 14
The ticket 4' is placed in the magnetic heads 14 and 1, respectively.
This is a platen roller that is brought into pressure contact with the 4th side. Reference numeral 16 denotes a switching gate, and if the ticket 4' detected by a detection device (not shown) provided on the rear side of the magnetic heads 14, 14 in the feeding direction is normal, the ticket 4' is switched to the ticket exit. If the ticket 4' is abnormal, the ticket 4' is switched to be sent to the waste ticket storage section 18 side. Note that a thermal printing plate 1 similar to the thermal head 10 is provided between the waste note storage section 18 and the switching gate 16.
9 is provided, and the ticket 4' is sent to the waste ticket storage section 18.
The paper is thermally printed to indicate that it is a discontinued ticket.

The thermal head 10 and platen roller 11 are shown in FIG. 2 and below, and will be explained based on these. The thermal head 10 has a flat plate shape and is arranged on the lower surface of a base 20 which also serves as a heat sink. Thermal head 1
A heat generating portion is formed on the lower surface of the roller 0, facing the contact portion with the platen roller 11. This heat generating part is a heat generating line 2 in which many heat generating points are arranged in a straight line.
1, and is provided perpendicular to the axial direction of the platen roller 11, that is, the feeding direction of the ticket 4'. The thermal head 10 includes one end thereof,
In other words, the base 20 is attached to the base 20 and the holder 22 at the opposite end of the ticket feeding direction with the heat generation line 21 as the boundary line.
It is attached to the bottom of the. The holder 22 is fixed to the base 20 by screws 23. This holder 22 has a guide surface 22a on the lower surface, and this guide surface 22a is used to guide the thermal head 10.
It is inclined so that the angle θ is an acute angle with respect to the lower surface of the . Therefore, the note 4' sent out from the cutter 9 is sent along this guide surface 22a and is guided at an acute angle of incidence with respect to the lower surface of the thermal head 10. As shown in FIG. 3, on both sides of the guide surface 22a, guide walls 22b, 22b are integrally formed to hang down and guide the ticket 4' while regulating both sides of the ticket 4' in the width direction. Further, on the upper surface of the holder 22, a signal line 24 for transmitting an electric signal to each heating point of the thermal head 10 is clamped. The signal line 24 is
A large number of lead wires are held in a plate shape by flexible insulating sheets, the ends of which are connected to the printed circuit board 25.
electrically connected to printed terminals printed on the This printed circuit board 25 is bonded to the thermal head 10, and this thermal head 10
The printed terminals formed on the ends of the printed circuit board 25 and the printed terminals formed on the printed circuit board 25 come into contact with each other. Therefore, the signal line 24 is
In the base 20, the heat generating line 21 is led out from an end opposite to the ticket feeding direction.

On the other hand, on the upper surface of the base 20, a locking piece 26 is fixed at approximately the center thereof, and at the other end, that is, at the end along the ticket feeding direction from the heat generation line 21, the locking piece 26 is approximately U-shaped. The bottom wall of the bracket 27, which has a square shape, is attached via screws 28. A support shaft 29 is loosely passed through both rising walls of the bracket 27, and the support shaft 29 extends parallel to the heat generating line 21, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, and is fixed to the frame 1. Since the support shaft 29 passes through the bracket 27 freely, the bracket 27 is rotatable relative to the support shaft 29. Therefore, the base 20 and the thermal head 10 are also rotatably supported around the support shaft 29. . And the above bracket 27
A coil portion 3 of a torsion coil spring 30 as a biasing member is attached to the support shaft 29 located between the two rising walls.
0a is wrapped around it. One end 30b of this torsion coil spring 30 is in contact with the upper surface of the base 20 through the lower surface of the locking piece 26, and the other end 30c extends upward and has a grip portion 31 at its upper end. Therefore, when the grip portion 31 is gripped and the other end 30c of the torsion coil spring 30 is pushed counterclockwise, the one end 30b of the torsion coil spring 30
A downward elastic force is generated at the base 2.
The thermal head 10 is brought into pressure contact with the platen roller 11 via the roller 0.

Further, an engaging protrusion 32 is provided opposite the other end 30c of the torsion coil spring 30 when it applies a biasing force to the thermal head 10 as described above, with which this other end is releasably engaged. . This engagement protrusion 32 has a pin shape and passes through a long hole 33 bored in the frame 1, and a swing lever 3 provided on the back side of the frame 1 (back side of the paper)
It is fixed at 4. That is, on the back side of the frame 1, as shown in the back view of FIG. 4, a swinging lever 34 is arranged to be swingable about a support shaft 35. The support shaft 35 is the frame 1
The swing lever 34 is provided so as to project from the back of the frame 1, and is rotated clockwise in FIG. 4 by a coil spring 36 installed between one end of the swing lever 34 and the frame 1. energized. The engagement protrusion 32 projects from the center of the other end of the swing lever 34, and a pressing portion 37 is formed on the other end edge of the swing lever 34. A detector 38 is attached to the frame 1 facing the pressing part 37, and an actuator 39 protruding from the detector 38 so as to be freely projectable and retractable is attached to the pressing part 37.
is facing directly. This detector 38 is composed of, for example, a normally open switch, and when the other end 30c of the torsion coil spring 30 is hooked on the engagement protrusion 32 while the thermal head 10 is in contact with the platen roller 11 via the torsion coil spring 30, , since the swinging lever 34 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 2 (counterclockwise in FIG.
It is turned on by pressing 9. This detector 38 includes the drum 3, cutter 9,
In addition to opening and closing electrical circuits for operating the thermal head 10, platen roller 11, magnetic heads 14, 14, platen rollers 15, 15, and gate 16, a display circuit is also provided as shown in FIG. Activate. In other words, the detector 38
When is in the ON state, the operating electric circuits are also closed and each component operates normally, and no abnormality signal is given to the abnormality detection circuit 40 shown in FIG. 5. This abnormality detection circuit 40 receives a signal indicating that the ticket is on sale from the control unit 41, and displays the message "on sale" on the sale display 42 provided on the front side of the ticket vending machine, and also displays the message "on sale" on the sale display 42 provided on the front side of the ticket vending machine. ``No abnormality'' is displayed on the management display 43. When the detector 38 is turned OFF, the abnormality detection circuit 40 is activated to display the message "Release Canceled" on the release display 42 and display the message "Abnormal" on the management display 43. It's summery.

The operation of the automatic ticket vending machine having such a configuration will be explained.

When the passenger inserts a coin from a coin slot (not shown) and presses a button corresponding to the fare of the destination, the drum 3 rotates and the recording paper 4 is fed out. The cutter 9 cuts the fed-out recording paper 4 into the length of one ticket. The separated ticket 4' is fed in one direction while being held between a thermal head 10 and a platen roller 11. At this time, the heat-sensitive layer provided on one side of the ticket 4' comes into contact with the heat-generating portion 21 of the thermal head 10, and a predetermined amount of heat generated by the heat-generating portion 21 thermally prints on the heat-sensitive layer.

The printed ticket 4' is transferred to the conveyor belt 12,
13 and passes through magnetic heads 14, 14. At this time, magnetic signals are applied from the magnetic heads 14 to the magnetic recording layer formed on the other side of the ticket 4', and magnetic recording is performed on this recording layer. This ticket 4' is then sent out to the ticket exit 17 through the gate 16.

In a ticket vending machine that operates in this manner, the thermal head 10 is attached to one end 30 of the torsion coil spring 30.
Since it is pressed by a, a constant contact pressure is maintained between it and the platen roller 11, and therefore,
Since a constant contact pressure is also applied to the ticket 4' held between the thermal head 10 and the platen roller 11, good contact between the ticket 4' and the heat generating part 21 of the thermal head 10 is maintained, and thermal printing is performed. will be ensured.

Therefore, if the surface of the thermal head 10 becomes dirty or if a ticket 4' becomes jammed between the thermal head 10 and the platen roller 11, the thermal head 10 can be separated from the platen roller 11. That is, the other end 30 of the torsion coil spring 30
Grip the gripping part 31 provided at c and remove the other end 30.
c from the engaging protrusion 32. In this case, the grip part 3
1 from the state shown in FIG. 2 toward the front perpendicular to the plane of the paper, the other end 30c can pass over the front end of the engagement protrusion 32. When the gripping portion 31 is rotated clockwise, one end 30 of the torsion coil spring 30 is rotated.
a releases the pressing force on the base 20 and is rotated clockwise following the gripping part 31. Since this one end 30a lifts the locking piece 26, the base 20 is rotated clockwise about the support shaft 29, and is displaced as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. In this state, the thermal head 10 not only separates from the platen roller 11, but also
Since the thermal head 10 is rotated about the support shaft 29, the lower surface of the thermal head 10 is opened wide in the direction opposite to the ticket feeding direction. Therefore, the lower surface of the thermal head 10 is largely separated from the platen roller 11, and a space is created between the thermal head 10 and the platen roller 11 that expands in the opposite direction to the ticket feeding direction, so that the lower surface of the thermal head 10 can be easily cleaned. .
Of course, inspection is easy, and the ticket 4'
If it becomes clogged, it can be easily removed.

In addition, a holder 22 is attached to the lower surface of the base 20 that rotates in this way, on the tip side of the rotation, that is, on the tip side in the opposite direction to the ticket feeding direction.
Since the signal line 24 is inserted between the thermal head 2 and the base 20 and connected to the thermal head 10, connection work and maintenance inspection of the signal line 24 are easy.
It can be performed in the posture shown by the imaginary line in Figure 2.
Therefore, it is not disturbed by other surrounding parts,
These tasks can be easily performed. Moreover, signal line 24
The head 20 is bent and deformed each time the head 20 is rotated, but this position allows for smooth bending and deformation without interfering with other parts. Since the connecting portion between the signal line 24 and the thermal head 10 is clamped by the holder 22, there is no fear that the connecting portion will come off even if an external force such as pulling the signal line 24 is applied. Also holder 2
The bottom surface of 2 is at an angle θ with the bottom surface of the thermal head 10.
Because it is inclined with the relationship (θ<90°),
The ticket 4' cut by the cutter 9 reaches the lower surface of the thermal head 10 along this guide surface 22a, so that the ticket 4' can be reliably and smoothly guided to the lower surface of the thermal head 10. This results in good contact between the ticket 4' and the thermal head 10. Note that guide walls 22b, 22b are formed on both sides of the lower surface of the holder 22, so that the widthwise position of the note 4' cut by the cutter 9 is restricted, resulting in lateral positional deviation with respect to the thermal head 10. This eliminates the problem and allows printing to be performed reliably at a predetermined position on the ticket 4'.

On the other hand, when the other end 30c of the torsion coil spring 30 is removed from the engagement protrusion 32, the swinging lever 34, which has the engagement protrusion 32 integrally, is attracted to the coil spring 36, and therefore rotates the support shaft 35. The center of rotation is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 2, that is, clockwise in FIG. 4. As a result, the pressing portion 37 is separated from the actuator 39, and the detector 38 is turned off. As mentioned above, the OFF operation of the detector 38 stops the operation of other parts, causes the sale display 42 on the front side of the ticket vending machine to display "sale cancelled", and causes the management display 43 on the back side to display "abnormality". "Yes" is displayed. Therefore, when the thermal head 10 is rotated as shown in the imaginary line about the support shaft 29 as described above, it is safe because the operation of other parts is stopped, and it is safe for the passengers. It can be determined that it cannot be used because it is marked as "discontinued."

Once the cleaning, repair, etc. work is completed,
When the grip part 31 is rotated counterclockwise and the other end 30c of the torsion coil spring 30 is hooked on the engagement protrusion 32, the thermal head 10 returns to its original position as shown by the solid line in FIG. . In this case, since the engaging protrusion 32 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. When pressed, the detector 38 turns ON. As a result, the other parts become operational, the sales display 42 displays "on sale" and the management display 43 also displays "no abnormality", so the thermal head 10 is moved from the platen roller. 11, that is, forgetting to set it.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, the other end 30c of the torsion coil spring 30 also serves as the lever for rotating the thermal head 10 via the base 20, which reduces the number of parts. The engaging protrusion 3 is provided with a stopper for stopping the end 30c in a fixed position and generating elastic force at the one end 30b.
2 is also used, so the number of parts is reduced in this respect as well. This simplifies the configuration, especially in this type of ticket vending machine, where many other parts are placed around it, making the configuration complex and complex, but the reduction in the number of parts mentioned above simplifies the configuration is extremely preferable.

In the above embodiment, an automatic ticket vending machine for railway tickets has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be implemented in any thermal printing device using a thermal head.

As described in detail above, the present invention includes a thermal head equipped with a heat generating section that feeds the thermal paper in one direction while sandwiching the thermal paper between the rollers and performs thermal printing on the thermal paper. It is pivoted on the side in the feeding direction of the thermal paper, and is rotatable so as to be able to approach and separate from the roller. Therefore, in this device, the thermal head is pivoted in the feeding direction of the thermal paper, so when the thermal head is rotated around this pivot point, the surface of the thermal head facing the roller will be in the feeding direction. It will open wide facing the opposite direction. Therefore, cleaning and maintenance inspection of the thermal head are extremely easy to perform, and jams of thermal paper can also be easily removed. Further, a part of the biasing member that biases the thermal head in the direction toward and away from the roller is configured to also serve as a lever that rotates the thermal head using the support shaft that pivots the thermal head as a fulcrum. Compared to a structure in which the biasing member and the lever are separate, the structure can be simplified, and the assembly can be improved and costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention applied to an automatic ticket vending machine for railway tickets, in which FIG. 1 is a front view of the entire printing device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the main parts, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the detector portion, and FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Thermal head, 11... Platen roller (roller), 20... Base, 21... Heat generating part, 22... Holder, 24... Signal line, 26...
... Locking piece, 27 ... Bracket, 29 ... Support shaft,
30... Torsion coil spring, 32... Engaging protrusion,
34... Swing lever, 38... Detector.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A thermal head having a heat generating part on one side for thermal printing on thermal paper, and a roller that faces the heat generating part of the thermal head and feeds the thermal paper in one direction while sandwiching it between the head and the head. , a support shaft that pivots the thermal head on the side in the feeding direction of the thermal paper relative to the heat generating section, and an urging member that uses the support shaft as a fulcrum to urge the thermal head in a direction toward and away from the roller. A thermal printing device, wherein a part of the biasing member also serves as a lever for rotating a thermal head about the support shaft.