JPS6329572Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a printer that has a dot print head mounted on a carriage that slides from side to side and performs sequential printing, and in particular relates to a dot print head connection mechanism for supplying drive signals to the dot print head. It is something.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a connection mechanism of a conventional dot printing head, in which a is a rear view and b is a partially cutaway side view.

In the figure, 1 is a guide rail stretched over a frame (not shown), 2 is a carrier that can slide left and right along this guide rail 1, and 3 is a dot printing head mounted on this carrier 2.
As an example, a wire dot head for printing dot characters using dot wire 4 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the following description, this will be simply referred to as a print head. Reference numeral 5 denotes a non-flexible insulating substrate provided on the back surface of the print head 3, which has a through hole 5a in the center and whose tip end is inserted into a connector 6 built into the carrier 2. Reference numeral 7 denotes a conductive wire connected to a driving coil (not shown) corresponding to each dot wire 4 of the print head 3, and is connected to a pattern 5b arranged on the surface of the non-flexible substrate 5. 8 is a cord for connecting the connector 6 to a circuit (not shown).

A disadvantage of such a print head connection mechanism is that when the carrier is slid at high speed for high-speed printing, the contact resistance between the connector 6 and the pattern 5b of the non-flexible substrate 5 increases. It was unreliable because it often fluctuated and conduction defects were caused by paper powder, dust, oil, etc. Furthermore, if the number of dot wires 4 is increased in order to increase the number of dots printed in a row, there is a drawback that the non-flexible substrate 5 and the connector 6 become larger and heavier.

Further, FIG. 2 shows an example of another conventional printing head, in which a is a rear view and b is a side view. Second
In the figure, 10 is a male connector connected to the conducting wire 7, 9 is a female connector fixed to the carrier 2, and 11 is a ribbon cable connected to this female connector 9.

Even with this configuration, the same drawbacks as described above occur between the male connector 10 and the female connector 9, and when the print head 3 is removed from the carrier 2, the conductive wire 7 is There were drawbacks such as wires breaking.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages such as fluctuations in contact resistance and conduction defects, as well as the increase in the weight of moving parts due to the increase in the number of dot wires, and to connect print heads without connection defects. To provide a printer equipped with a mechanism, and to provide a printer in which the weight of movable parts does not increase due to a connection mechanism of a print head even if the number of dot wires increases.

3 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a partially detailed view of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' in FIG. In FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, 12 has a through hole 12a at one end,
The other end is a ribbon cable that is widened to match the dimensions of the connector 13, and 14 is this ribbon cable 12.
A conductive pattern is arranged in the middle of the ribbon cable 12, and near one end of the ribbon cable 12, the first terminal 1 is arranged so as to face the circumference of the through hole 12a and exposed.
4a, and near the other end of the ribbon cable 12, it has an exposed second terminal 14b that extends to correspond to the contact of the connector 13. 15
is a first cable made of a flexible film having bending rigidity equal to or greater than that of the ribbon cable 12.
This reinforcing plate is disposed between the print head 3 and the ribbon cable 12, has a through hole corresponding to the through hole 12a of the ribbon cable 12, and has a part near the center of the ribbon cable 12, that is, a connector. The ribbon cable 1 except for the end on the 13 side
2 is glued.

Reference numeral 16 is made of the same material as the first reinforcing plate 15, and has a width that matches the other end of the ribbon cable 12, leaving a part of the ribbon cable 12 near the center, that is, on the printing head 3 side. A second reinforcing plate 17, which is bonded to the ribbon cable 12 except for its ends, is a back cover for fixing the ribbon cable 12 and the first reinforcing plate 15 to the printing head 3.

In such a configuration, a driving coil (not shown) for driving the dot wire 4 is connected to the first terminal 14a of the ribbon cable 12 through the first reinforcing plate 15 and the through hole of the ribbon cable 12. Further, the second reinforcing plate 16 and the second terminal 14b of the ribbon cable 12 are inserted into a connector 13 fixed to a frame or the like. As described above, in the present invention, the driving coil and the ribbon cable 12 are directly connected, and the connectors 6, 9, and 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are not required. Therefore, the above-mentioned variation in contact resistance,
Continuity defects and other defects can be eliminated, and defects caused by heavy moving parts can also be eliminated.

Next, the functions of the first reinforcing plate 15 and the second reinforcing plate 16 will be explained. The print head 3 repeatedly slides from side to side along the guide rail 1, and along with this, the bent portion of the ribbon cable 12 also moves from closer to the print head 3 to closer to the connector 13 and vice versa. The stress at this time is concentrated at the boundary between the fixed part and the free part at both ends.

However, in the present invention, the first reinforcing plate 15 and the second reinforcing plate 15 have appropriate flexibility in the portion where stress is concentrated.
Since the reinforcing plate 16 is provided, stress can be dispersed appropriately and breakage in this part can be prevented. Furthermore, since a first reinforcing plate 15 is provided between the print head 3 and the ribbon cable 12, the heat generated in the print head 3 can cause the ribbon cable to
The second coating will no longer melt.

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the drive coil of the print head and the first terminal of the ribbon cable are directly connected through the first reinforcing plate and the through hole of the ribbon cable, and the back cover Since the connecting portion is fixed to the print head, connection failures can be prevented. Furthermore, since no connector is mounted on the movable part, the weight of the movable part can be reduced.

Further, since the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate having appropriate flexibility are provided in the portion where stress is concentrated, the stress is appropriately dispersed, and breakage of the wire in this portion can be prevented.

Furthermore, since the first reinforcing plate is made of a heat-resistant material and is provided between the printing head and the ribbon cable, the coating of the ribbon cable will not melt due to the heat of the printing head.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a rear view and side view showing an example of a conventional print head connection mechanism, Fig. 2 is a rear view and side view showing another example of the conventional print head, and Fig. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partially detailed rear view and side view of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG.
It is an A′ cross-sectional view. 1... Guide rail, 2... Carrier rail, 3
...Print head, 4...Dot wire, 12...
Ribbon cable, 13... Connector, 14... Conductive pattern, 15... First reinforcing plate, 16... Second reinforcing plate, 17... Back cover.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] In a printer that has a dot print head mounted on a carrier that slides from side to side and performs sequential printing, a connector fixed to a non-movable part, and between this connector and the dot print head. A through hole is provided at an end on the dot printing head side, and a plurality of exposed first terminals are provided so as to face the periphery of the through hole, and the terminal on the connector side corresponds to the contacts of the connector. a ribbon cable having a plurality of second terminals spread out and exposed; and the ribbon cable is provided between the dot printing head and the ribbon cable and is made of a material having appropriate flexibility and heat resistance. a first reinforcing plate having a through hole corresponding to the through hole of the ribbon cable and being fixed to the ribbon cable except for the end on the connector side, and made of the same or similar material as the first reinforcing plate of the ribbon cable; a second reinforcing plate having a shape corresponding to the other end and fixed to the ribbon cable except for the end on the dot printing head side; and a second reinforcing plate that covers and protects the ribbon cable and the first reinforcing plate. a back cover fixed to the dot printing head, the second reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate of the ribbon cable;
is inserted into the connector, while the driving coil of the dot printing head and the first terminal of the ribbon cable are electrically connected through the first reinforcing plate and the through hole of the ribbon cable. printer.