JPS6184269A - Printer with drawable printing part - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automate opening and closing of a platen and a printing head, by a construction wherein an arm of a drawer frame equipped with a printing part and a printing medium fitting part is provided with a force in the direction for opening. CONSTITUTION:A coil spring symmetrical on the left and right sides is wound around a support shaft 6, one end thereof is supported on the side of the drawer frame 3, while the other end is supported on the side of the arm 7, whereby the arm 7 is energized in the direction for opening. When the frame 3 is moved out of the casing 1 by a driving mechanism, an upper part of a sloped part 7G1 is held by a guide roller 10, so that the arm 7 is not opened. When lower part of the sloped part 7G1 comes to the guide roller 10, the arm 7 is opened upward to be substantially upright at A10. A rolled paper 4 is set in position, a thermal recording paper 4a is led out over the platen 5 to the exterior, and the frame 3 is pushed into the casing 1. Then, the arm 7 is pressed downward by the roller 10, thereby closing the arm 7 at A1. Heating elements of a thermal head 8 are supplied with electric currents according to printing information to selectively generate heat, thereby thermally printing on the paper 4a, then the paper 4a is fed, and is cut by a cutter 13 after completion of printing a one-page amount of information.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is applicable to thermal printers, discharge destruction type printers, etc., images from pre-visions, video tape recorders, etc., and output images from personal computers (such as elephants, etc.). Concerning printers suitable for making hard copies.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in thermal printers and the like, the top cover of the housing can be accessed for installation, inspection, maintenance, etc. of thermal paper, which is a printing medium.

Then, when there is little thermal paper left, open the lid, take out the remaining thermal paper, and insert a new roll of thermal paper. Inspection and maintenance of the printing section, etc., is also carried out with the two lids opened.

However, with this configuration in which the top cover is opened and closed, it is not possible to place anything on top of the printer, and the top of the printer must be left open at all times.

Therefore, this is not preferable from the point of view of effective use of space.

It also cannot be inserted horizontally into a narrow space such as a rack. Furthermore, if the structure is such that thermal paper is loaded from the top of the printer, an operation panel or the like must also be placed on the top of the housing. Then, the printer must be installed in a low position, such as on a desk, so that the first panel can be easily seen, which limits the installation location.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have proposed a printer in which a printing section, a printing medium loading section, a control circuit section for controlling the printing section, etc., and a power supply section are housed in the housing. By proposing a configuration in which the printing section and the printing medium mounting section are built in and supported in the housing via a pull-out mechanism so that the medium mounting section can be pulled out forward together,
The top of the printer can be completely opened, allowing recording media such as thermal paper to be inserted and removed from the front of the printer, and an operation panel can be installed on the front.

By the way, in this configuration, when the print medium is inserted, the platen and the print head that constitute the printing section are relatively opened and closed vertically, but the present invention is to automate this opening and closing operation.

[Means for solving problems]

The technical means of the present invention taken to solve these problems includes a printing section, a printing medium mounting section, and a control circuit section for controlling the printing section, etc., arranged in a housing.

In a printer in which a power supply section is housed in a housing, a drawer frame equipped with a printing section and a printing medium mounting section is inserted through a drawer mechanism so that the printing section and printing medium mounting section can be pulled out together forward with respect to the housing. A guide roller is provided on the ceiling of the drawer frame storage area near the front of the case, and the arm can move downward -L to the drawer frame at a position deeper than the guide 10-ra. The arm is pivoted and is provided with a means for applying a force in the opening direction to the arm, and the guide surface of the arm is guided in contact with the lower side of the guide 10-ra; The printer adopts a configuration that requires that one side of the platen and one side of the print head constituting the printing section be attached.

[Effect]

According to this technical means, the printing section and the printing medium mounting section are also housed together in the housing that normally houses the control circuit section, power supply section, etc. The printing section and the printing medium mounting section are built into the housing and supported via a movable mechanism such as a pull-out mechanism, so that the printing medium mounting section and the printing section can be pulled forward together from the housing. can. Therefore, when attaching or detaching a printing medium such as thermal paper, or performing inspection or maintenance, the printing section is pulled forward from the housing together with the printing medium mounting section. Then, the print medium mounting section moves forward from the housing and is ejected, so that the print medium can be attached and removed, and inspection and maintenance can be performed.

The drawer frame can be moved back and forth manually, but it can also be driven by a motor using a feed mechanism such as a rank and pinion or a feed screw. Further, the arm supporting the print head is constantly biased by a spring or the like so that the arm is opened. Therefore, as the drawer frame moves from the housing to the side where it advances, the arm is gradually released from the guide roller.
The spring force pushes the arm open. Then, since the print head is separated from the platen, the print medium roll paper is set in the print medium mounting section at the back of the platen, and the print medium is led out from between the platen and the print head. Conversely, as the drawer frame retreats into the housing, the arm is pushed down by the guide roller, and the arm is closed. The print head is then pressed against the platen via the print medium, and becomes ready for printing. .

[Example] Next, how the printer according to the present invention is actually implemented will be explained using an example. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a printer according to the present invention, with FIG. 1 showing the printer in a state where the printing section is pulled out, and FIG. 2 showing the printer in a normal state with the printing section housed in the housing. Reference numeral 1 denotes a housing of the printer 6, in which a control circuit section for controlling a printing section, a paper feeding mechanism, etc., and a power supply section are housed. An operation panel 2 is provided on the front surface of the housing, and each operation switch, display means, etc. are provided on the operation panel 2.

The housing 1 also houses a printing section and a printing medium mounting section. This printing section and printing medium mounting section are usually connected to the second
As shown in the figure, it is housed in the housing 1 on the side of the Shiba Saku panel 2, but when attaching or detaching the print medium,
It is pulled out forward from the housing 1 as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3 denotes a drawer frame having a shape almost similar to a drawer of a desk or the like, and is mounted on a guide rail provided in the housing 1 so as to be movable back and forth.

A roll paper 4 of thermal paper serving as a print medium is housed in a print medium mounting portion in the drawer frame 3. Between this roll paper 4 and the front plate 3a of the drawer frame 3,
A platen 5 is provided.

Further, a cover-like arm 7 is attached to the inner part of the drawer frame 3 via a support shaft 6 so as to be openable and closable. A thermal head 8 is disposed below this arm 7 at a position facing the platen 5. In FIG. 1, this arm 7 is open, but when the other arm 7 is pushed down and closed, the heating element portion of the thermal head 8 is pressed against the platen 4 by a pressure means (not shown). However, the thermal paper 4a fed out from the thermal paper roll 4,
It is led out from between the platen 5 and the thermal head 8 to the front of the housing. Therefore, the heating element of the thermal heel t''8 is pressed against the thermal paper 4a at the platen 5''. In this way, when the drawer frame 3 is pushed into the housing 1 with the drawer frame 3 closed on top of the thermal paper 4a, the second
In the state shown in the figure, the printing section and the printing medium mounting section are housed in the housing 1.

Then, the heating element is energized based on the print information and selectively generates heat to heat the thermal paper 4a, thereby performing printing. Note that the heating element of the thermal head 8 and the thermal paper 4
Needless to say, the feeding mechanism of a and the control circuit and power supply section in the housing 1 are electrically connected by a cable.

Next, the interlocking mechanism between the arm 7 and the drawer frame 3 will be explained. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the printing section and the printing medium mounting section in an open state, and FIG. 4 is a side view showing the opening and closing operation of the arm. A guide roller 10 is disposed in the drawer frame storage portion of the housing 1 at a ceiling position on the front side of the housing.

The guide rollers 10 are arranged on both left and right sides of the upper side of the drawer frame 3. The left and right guide surfaces 7G of the arm 7 are located below the left and right guide rollers 10. On the other hand, the arm 7 moves back and forth together with the drawer frame 3, and this back and forth movement is preferably driven by a motor. For example, by connecting the housing 1 side and the drawer frame 3 using a known feed mechanism such as a rank and pinion or a feed screw, the drawer frame 3 can be moved back and forth by simply operating the operation switch 9. be able to.

The guide surface 7G of the arm 7 has a first half portion 7Gs inclined,
A guide roller 10 is in contact with the tip of the inclined portion. The rear half 7G2 of the guide surface 7G near the support shaft 6 is flat and is spaced from the lower surface of the guide roller 10 by a gap G.

Further, a symmetrical twisted coil spring 11 is wound around the support shaft 6, and one end is supported on the drawer frame 3 side.
The other end is supported on the arm 7 side, and the arm 7 is moved in the opening direction (
It is biased in the "push" direction).

As shown in FIG. 4, if the state in which the drawer frame 3 is housed in the housing is A1, when the drawer frame 3 moves out of the housing 1 by the drive mechanism, the support shaft 6 separates from the guide roller 10. , that is, between A1 and A2,
Even if the pull-out frame 3 and the arm 7 move in the advancing direction indicated by the arrow a1, the arm 7 is held down by the guide roller 10, and the arm 7 cannot be opened. However, the support shaft 6 approaches the guide roller 10, moves to the A3 position, and moves to the inclined portion 7G.
When the lower part of the plate No. 1 comes to the position of the guide roller 10, the arm 7 opens upward with the twisting spring 11 around the support shaft 6, and further A3
, A4, and so on, the arm 7 opens further. When the arm 7 advances to the A1o position, which is the stroke end in the forward direction, the arm 7 is hardly regulated by the guide roller 10 and opens to a nearly upright state as shown in the figure.

With the arm 7 opened in this manner, the thermal paper roll 4 is placed at the position indicated by the broken line in FIG. 3, and the thermal paper 4a is led out from the platen 5.

Note that 12 is a bearing for the roll paper 4. When the cent of the roll paper 4 is completed in this manner, the drawer frame 3 is drawn into the housing 1.

At this time, as the arm 7 retreats in the direction opposite to the arrow a1, the arm 7 is pushed by the guide roller 10, and A10
, A9...A3. When it moves to the A2 position, it is almost completely closed, and at the stroke end position indicated by A1, it is completely closed. When the heating element of the thermal head 8 is energized based on the printed information,
By selectively generating heat from the heating elements and heating the thermal paper 4a, printing and characters are performed, and the thermal paper 4a is fed. When printing for one page is completed, the paper is cut off by a cutter 13.

In the illustrated example, the print head, that is, the thermal head 1"8 is mounted on the arm 7, but conversely, the platen 5 is mounted on the arm 7, and the thermal head 8 is mounted on the drawer frame 3.
A configuration implemented in is also possible. Further, the spring force for opening the arm 7 can be generated by means other than twisting coil springs.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the arm on which the print head is mounted is biased in the opening direction by a spring or the like, and a guide roller is provided on the ceiling in front of the housing, and the guide roller is attached to the arm. It is configured to come into contact with the guide surface. Therefore, when the drawer frame on which the arm is pivoted is pulled into the housing, the arm is closed by the guide roller in conjunction with this movement, and conversely, when the drawer frame moves out of the housing, the arm is moved away from the guide roller. Gradually it opens and the roll paper can be sorted seven times. Therefore, the arm opens and closes automatically, making handling operations easier.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the printer according to the present invention, in which the printing section can be pulled out. FIG. 1 shows the printer with the printing medium loading section pulled out, FIG. 2 shows the normal state, and FIG. 3 shows the arm in the open state. The perspective view and FIG. 4 are side views showing the opening and closing operations of the arm. In the figure, 1 is a housing, 2 is an operation panel, 3 is a drawer frame, 4 is a roll of thermal paper, 4a is a thermal paper, 5 is a platen, 6 is a support shaft, 7 is an arm, 7G is a guide surface, 8
10 indicates a thermal head, 10 indicates a guide roller, and 11 indicates a twisted coil spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A printer in which a printing section, a printing medium mounting section, a control circuit section for controlling the printing section, etc., and a power supply section are housed in a housing, wherein the printing section and the printing medium mounting section are housed in a housing. The drawer frame equipped with the print section and print media loading section is built into the housing via a pull-out mechanism so that it can be pulled out forward at the same time. The arm is provided with a guide roller, an arm is pivotally supported on the drawer frame at a position deeper than the guide roller so as to be movable up and down, and is provided with means for applying a force in the opening direction to the arm, and the arm The printing section is pulled out with the following requirements: the guide surface of the arm is guided by touching the lower side of the guide roller, and one side of the platen and the print head that constitute the printing section are attached to the arm. Possible printer.