KR100324627B1 - Thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermal printer, comprising: a main body having a roll support portion curved downward to support a thermal recording paper roll, and a moving path extending to move the thermal recording paper on one side of the roll support portion; A lid portion coupled to the main body to block the roll support portion and one area of the moving path to form an accommodation space of the thermal recording paper roll in cooperation with the main body; A feeding roller disposed rotatably on the moving path to feed the thermal recording paper; A thermal head arranged to face the feeding roller with the thermal recording paper interposed therebetween to print predetermined information on the thermal recording paper; At least one guide roller elastically supported on an inner surface of the cover and disposed to face each other with the feeding roller and the thermal recording paper interposed therebetween so as to support the thermal recording paper when the feeding roller is rotated; Rotary driving means for rotating the feeding roller; Thermal recording paper sensing means disposed in the moving path for sensing the thermal recording paper; And a control unit for controlling the rotation driving means to rotate the feeding roller so that the thermal recording paper can be mounted through the thermal head based on a signal input from the outside. This provides a thermal printer that can quickly and easily mount thermal recording paper.

Description

Thermal printer {THERMAL PRINTER}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thermal printer capable of quickly and easily mounting a thermal recording paper.

The thermal printer includes a thermally sensitive recording paper and a thermal head on a roll, and the thermal recording paper is continuously fed to the thermal head so that the thermal head is brought into contact with the thermal recording paper to be heated, thereby providing predetermined information by color development of the thermal recording paper. It is a kind of printer that allows you to print.

1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a conventional thermal printer. As shown in the drawing, the thermal printer includes a main body 101 and a main body 101, each having a roll accommodating portion 103 formed therein to accommodate a roll-shaped thermal recording paper 125 and having an upward opening cylindrical shape. A cover 105 coupled to block the upper opening of the upper surface, a thermal head 107 accommodated on one side of the roll receiving portion 103, and an upper side of the thermal head 107 are disposed to cut the thermal recording paper 125. It has a cutting machine 109.

The thermal recording paper 125 is wound to have a predetermined unit diameter on the circumferential surface of the winding frame 123 having a cylindrical shape, and the roll accommodation portion 103 may rotatably support the roll of the thermal recording paper 125. A pair of roll supports 111 are formed to face each other with the winding frame 123 interposed therebetween.

The roll support 111 is formed to stand up from the bottom surface of the roll accommodating part 103, and is elastically deformable so that the space | interval may mutually spread outward along the axial direction of a roll. On the upper inner surface of the roll support 111, a support protrusion (not shown) is accommodated in the winding frame 123 to support the roll so as to be rotatable.

On one side of the roll accommodating part 103, a feeding roller 108 for feeding the thermal recording paper 125 by being spaced apart from each other with the thermal head 107 and the thermal recording paper 125 interposed therebetween is rotatably installed. Both ends of the roller 108 allow the feeding roller 108 to approach the thermal head 107 so as to be able to flow between a feeding position for feeding the thermal recording paper 125 and a spaced position spaced apart from the thermal head 107. A pair of support brackets (not shown) are provided. One side of the feeding roller 108 is provided with an operating lever 113 for operating the feeding roller 108 to rotate between the feeding position and the spaced position.

An upper side of the thermal head 107 has a passage groove 115 through which the thermal recording paper 125 drawn out between the feeding roller 108 and the thermal head 107 passes, and the thermal recording paper 125 is cut into a predetermined length. The cutting machine 109 is arranged.

With this configuration, when the thermal recording paper 125 is to be replaced, first, the cover 105 coupled to the upper region of the main body 101 is separated from the main body 101, and the roll support 111 is moved in the axial direction. According to the open to remove the completed winding frame 123 to the outside. Next, the roll support 111 is pressurized to the outside so as to be spaced apart from each other so that the support protrusions of the roll support 111 are accommodated at both ends of the winding frame 123 of the new thermal recording paper roll to be replaced.

After the operation lever 113 is rotated to move the feeding roller 108 to a spaced position, the start end 126a of the thermal recording paper 125 is pulled to start the feed end roller 126a and the thermal head 107. Pass between the passing grooves 115 of the cutter 109 via the). When the start end 126a of the thermal recording paper 125 passes through the passage groove 115 of the cutter 109, the operating lever 113 is operated to return the feeding roller 108 to the feeding position again.

By the way, in the conventional thermal printer, when the user replaces the thermal recording paper 125, the user combines the start end 126a of the thermal recording paper 125 to pass between the feeding roller 108 and the thermal head 107. In addition, since the start end 126a of the thermal recording paper 125 is bent or folded, it is not easy to mount, and there is a problem that a relatively long time is required for the replacement operation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a thermal printer that can quickly and easily mount thermal recording paper.

1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a conventional thermal printer,

2 is a perspective view of a thermal printer according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the thermal printer of Figure 2,

4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the thermal printer of FIG.

Figures 5a and 5b is a view showing the separation position and the feeding position of the feeding roller of Figure 4, respectively,

6 is a schematic control block diagram of the thermal printer of FIG.

7A to 7D are views illustrating a roll mounting process of the thermal printer of FIG. 2, respectively.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

11 body 13 roll support

14: roll supporting roller 15: moving path

17: Normal display lamp 19: Error display lamp

16: guide part 21: forward key

23: reverse key 27: feeding roller

29: thermal head 31: cutter

37: recording sensor 39: drive motor

51: cover 53: guide roller

55: elastic support plate 56: outlet

61: control unit

According to the present invention, there is provided a roll supporting part which is curved downward to support a thermal recording paper roll, and a main body having a moving path extending on one side of the roll supporting part to move the thermal recording paper; A lid portion coupled to the main body to block the roll support portion and one area of the moving path to form an accommodation space of the thermal recording paper roll in cooperation with the main body; A feeding roller disposed rotatably on the moving path to feed the thermal recording paper; A thermal head arranged to face the feeding roller with the thermal recording paper interposed therebetween to print predetermined information on the thermal recording paper; At least one guide roller elastically supported on an inner surface of the cover and disposed to face each other with the feeding roller and the thermal recording paper interposed therebetween so as to support the thermal recording paper when the feeding roller is rotated; Rotary driving means for rotating the feeding roller; Thermal recording paper sensing means disposed in the moving path for sensing the thermal recording paper; And a control unit for controlling the rotation driving means to rotate the feeding roller so that the thermal recording paper can be mounted through the thermal head based on a signal input from the outside.

Here, it is preferable that the roll support portion includes at least one roll support roller which is disposed in parallel with the rotation axis of the feeding roller to support the thermal recording paper roll to be rotatable.

And a forward key installed so as to be exposed to the surface of the main body so that the feeding roller is rotated in a direction in which the thermal recording paper is discharged to the outside, and reversing the feeding roller in a direction opposite to the discharge direction of the thermal recording paper. It is effective to include more keys.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail with respect to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a thermal printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the main portion of the thermal printer of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the thermal printer of Figure 2, Figures 5a and 5b 4 is a view showing the separation position and the feeding position of the feeding roller of FIG. As shown in these figures, the thermal printer has a main body 11 having a roll supporting portion 13 formed thereon so as to support the roll 5 of thermal recording paper on its upper surface, and hinged to one side of the main body 11. It has a cover 51 for forming a receiving space of the roll 5 in cooperation with the main body (11). On the front side of the main body 11, a normal display lamp 17 for displaying a state in which the apparatus can operate normally and an error display lamp 19 for displaying an error state are provided. On one side, the forward key 21 from which the thermal recording paper is drawn out from the roll 5 and the reverse key 23 for moving the thermal recording paper in the opposite direction to the drawing direction are arranged to be spaced apart from each other. In addition, one side edge of the main body 11 is provided with a power switch 25.

The roll support part 13 is formed to be bent downward so as to easily support the roll 5, and the roll support part 13 has a pair of roll support rollers 14 to rotatably support the roll 5. ) Are spaced parallel to each other. A moving path 15 is formed at one side of the roll supporting part 13 so that the thermal recording paper which is released and drawn out according to the rotation of the roll 5 can be moved, and the moving path 15 is predetermined from one side of the roll supporting part 13. It is formed to form a curved path that is upwardly sectioned and downwards toward the end through the protruding government. At both side edges of the roll support 13 and the moving path 15, upwardly protruding guide portions 16 are formed to guide the thermal recording paper.

In the end region of the moving path 15, the feed roller 27 and the feed roller 27 and the thermal recording paper, which are arranged in parallel with each other in parallel with each other, are spaced apart from each other with a passing distance between the thermal recording papers to heat the thermal recording paper. Thermal heads 29 are provided for printing predetermined information on the surface of the thermal recording paper. A cutter 31 is provided on the upper side of the thermal head 29 so that the thermal recording paper fed by the feeding roller 27 can be cut to a predetermined length. The cutter 31 passes through the thermal recording paper so that the thermal recording paper can pass. The groove 32 is formed.

The feeding rollers 27 are rotatably supported by a pair of support brackets 33 which are erected at both end regions, and are spaced apart from each other so as to increase an interval between the moving path 15 and the thermal head 29. And between feeding positions for approaching the thermal head 29 and feeding the thermal recording paper in friction contact with the thermal recording paper with the moving path 15 and the thermal recording paper sandwiched therebetween.

Rotating control lever 35 is integrally coupled to one side of the rotating shaft of the feeding roller 27 so that the feeding roller 27 can be rotated between the feeding position and the spaced apart position, and the rotating operating lever 35 is the spaced apart position. As shown in Fig. 5A, the substrates are arranged substantially upright, and at the feeding position, they are arranged along the substantially horizontal direction, as shown in Fig. 5B. At the lower side of the rotation control lever 35, a lever position detecting unit 36 is provided which detects the position of the rotation control lever 35 by being in contact with each other at the feeding position of the rotation control lever 35 and being separated from each other at a spaced position. . The lower moving path 15 of the feeding roller 27 is provided with a recording sheet sensor 37 configured of an optical sensor or the like so as to detect the presence or absence of the thermal recording sheet.

On the opposite side of the rotation control lever 35 along the axial direction of the feeding roller 27, a drive motor 39 for forward and reverse rotation driving of the feeding roller 27 is provided, and the driving motor 39 and the feeding roller 27 are provided. A series of gears that transfer the rotational force of the drive motor 39 to the rotational shaft of the feeding roller 27 are interlocked with each other between the rotational shafts, and a gear box 41 is installed in the circumferential region thereof. It is.

On the other hand, the lid 51 has a tubular shape which is opened downward to block the upper region of the main body 11 to form a receiving space of the thermal recording paper roll 5 therein, and the feeding inside the lid 51 A guide roller 53 disposed in parallel with the feeding roller 27 is provided so as to be in elastic contact with the roller 27. The guide roller 53 has a downwardly curved cross-sectional shape and one end is rotatably supported in the free end region of the elastic support plate 55 elastically supported in the central region of the lid 51.

FIG. 6 is a schematic control block diagram of the thermal printer of FIG. 2. As shown in the figure, the control unit 61, which is configured in the form of a microcomputer with a built-in control program, includes a forward key 21 and a reverse key which are exposed and installed on one surface of the main body 11 so that an operation signal can be input from the outside. The key 23, the lever position detecting unit 36 for detecting the position of the rotation control lever 35, and the recording sheet sensor 37 for sensing the thermal recording sheet on the moving path 15 are electrically connected to each other. .

In addition, the control unit 61 has a main body 11 so as to display a normal operation state or an error to the outside based on the signals received from the forward key 21 and the reverse key 23 and the recording sensor 37. To the main body 11 so that predetermined information can be output to the normal display lamp 17 and the error display lamp 19, the drive motor 39 for forward and reverse rotation of the feeding roller 27, and the thermal recording paper. The thermal head 29 provided and the cutter 31 provided on the upper side of the thermal head 29 for cutting the thermal recording paper are electrically connected to each other.

7A to 7D are views illustrating a roll mounting process of the thermal printer of FIG. 2, respectively. Referring to these drawings, the mounting process of the roll 5 is described. First, when the end of the thermal recording paper, which is almost finished in use, passes through the feeding roller 27 area, the recording paper sensor 37 exhausts the thermal recording paper. Is detected. At this time, the control section 61 causes the error display lamp 19 to be turned on. When the new thermal recording paper roll 5 is to be replaced, as shown in FIG. 7A, the cover 51 is opened, the winding frame of which the thermal recording paper is exhausted is removed from the roll support 13, and the new thermal recording paper to be replaced. The roll 5 is placed on the roll supporting roller 14 of the roll supporting portion 13. Next, the start end 6a of the thermal recording paper is unrolled from the roll 5 and the start end 6a is pulled out with a sufficient length through the discharge port 56.

When the lid 51 is covered, the thermal recording paper is brought into frictional contact with the surface of the feeding roller 27 by a guide roller 53 arranged to enable elastic contact with the feeding roller 27. At this time, when the user operates the forward key 21, the control unit 61 moves the drive motor 39, as shown in Figure 7b so that the feeding roller 27 can rotate in the counterclockwise direction on the drawing. It will be rotated.

When the feeding roller 27 starts to rotate in the counterclockwise direction in conjunction with the rotation of the drive motor 39, the start of the thermal recording paper drawn out through the outlet 56 formed between the cover 51 and the main body 11. As shown in FIG. 7C, the end 6a is introduced into the lid 51 by frictional contact between the feeding roller 27 and the guide roller 53. At this time, one side of the thermal recording paper introduced into the inner surface of the roll 5 and the lower side of the elastic support plate 55 is blocked, the flow is blocked, passing through the feeding roller 27 and the guide roller 53 to cover A moving path 15 formed on the lower side of the feeding roller 27 while being in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the feeding roller 27 which continues to rotate in the counterclockwise direction is introduced to the inside of the thermal recording paper introduced into the 51. It flows into the space between and.

When the start end 6a of the thermal recording paper flows between the feeding roller 27 and the moving path 15, the recording paper sensor 37 detects this and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 61, and starts the thermal recording paper. Step 6a is a cutter disposed above the thermal head 29 via the feeding roller 27 and the thermal head 29 as shown in FIG. 7D by the rotation of the feeding roller 27 ( It passes through the passing groove 32 of 31 and is discharged to the outside through the discharge port (56).

On the other hand, the control unit 61 receives the signal from the recording sensor (37) so that the normal display lamp 17 is lit, so that the start end 6a of the thermal recording paper has a sufficient length through the outlet 56. When withdrawn, the cutter 31 is controlled to cut the thermal recording paper into a predetermined length. Then, the driving motor 39 is controlled to stop the feeding roller 27 in the printing standby state.

When predetermined information (for example, merchandise sales information) is input from a computer (or a terminal), the controller 61 controls the thermal head 29 to print predetermined information on the thermal recording paper. 61 controls the drive motor 39 so that the thermal recording paper can be continuously supplied at a predetermined pitch. Subsequently, the control unit 61 controls the cutter 31 to cut the thermal recording paper at a predetermined position when printing is completed, and controls the drive motor 39 so that the feeding roller 27 can wait for printing.

In a state where the thermal recording paper is normally mounted, the user can operate the thermal recording paper forward and backward by operating the forward key 21 and the reverse key 23.

As described above, according to the present invention, the thermal recording paper can be quickly and easily mounted by simply attaching the thermal recording paper roll on the roll support and releasing the start end to the discharge port, and then covering the cover and pressing the forward key. Thermal printer is provided.

Claims (3)

A main body having a roll support portion curved downward to support the thermal recording paper roll, and a movement path extending to move the thermal recording paper on one side of the roll support portion; A lid portion coupled to the main body to block the roll support portion and one area of the moving path to form an accommodation space of the thermal recording paper roll in cooperation with the main body; A feeding roller disposed rotatably on the moving path to feed the thermal recording paper; A thermal head arranged to face the feeding roller with the thermal recording paper interposed therebetween to print predetermined information on the thermal recording paper; At least one guide roller elastically supported on an inner surface of the cover and disposed to face each other with the feeding roller and the thermal recording paper interposed therebetween so as to support the thermal recording paper when the feeding roller is rotated; Rotary driving means for rotating the feeding roller; Thermal recording paper sensing means disposed in the moving path for sensing the thermal recording paper; And a control unit for controlling the rotation driving means to rotate the feeding roller so that the thermal recording paper can be mounted through the thermal head based on a signal input from the outside. The method of claim 1, And at least one roll support roller disposed in the roll support portion in parallel with the rotation axis of the feeding roller to support the thermal recording paper roll so as to be rotatable. The method according to claim 1 or 2, A forward key installed so as to be exposed to the surface of the main body so that the feeding roller is rotated in a direction of discharging the thermal recording paper to an outside; and a backward key to rotate the feeding roller in a direction opposite to the discharge direction of the thermal recording paper. Thermal printer, characterized in that it further comprises.