WO2001089957A1

WO2001089957A1 - Package material and packaged paper sheets

Info

Publication number: WO2001089957A1
Application number: PCT/JP2001/004368
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hitoshi Fujiwara
Original assignee: F & F Limited
Priority date: 2000-05-24
Filing date: 2001-05-24
Publication date: 2001-11-29
Also published as: JP4707163B2; CN1430569A; EP1302411A1; US20030164317A1; AU2001258832A1; JP2002046785A; CN1177735C

Abstract

A package material comprising a bundle of recording paper sheets, a portion which holds these recording paper sheets except at least one-side front ends, a portion which holds the plurality of recording paper sheets in such a manner as to cover at least part of the one-side outer surfaces at one-side front ends of the recording paper sheets bundled by the holding portion, wherein the frictional coefficient of the inner surface of this extended portion contacting the recording paper sheet is approximately equal to the frictional coefficient of the recording paper sheet. Packaging recording paper sheets in this package material enables the recording paper sheets to be picked up one by one by abutting a pickup roller against the front ends of the recording paper sheets as bundled by the holding portion, and concurrently enables the recording paper sheets to be used reliably to the last one since the extended portion is present between a bottom plate and the last recording paper sheet as if it were a board laid under writing paper.

Description

Description Packaging materials and packaged paper Technical field

The present invention relates to a technique for packaging and supplying a plurality of sheet-shaped recording sheets in a bundled state. Background art

Recording paper used in printers and other printing devices is provided in packaged wrapping paper. When setting the printer, remove it from the wrapping paper and set it. Environmentally sensitive printing paper, such as photosensitive paper or thermal paper, is provided in a light-shielding material bag.Remove the required amount from the bag and set it in the printer. Keep the paper in a package.

Printers, such as copiers and fax machines, often cause problems with printers such as copiers and faxes, which pick up single-sheet paper or wet sheet type recording paper one by one with a pickup roller and supply it to the printing mechanism. Means that the last few sheets of recording paper stored in a paper cassette or paper storage space are picked up at the same time. When this phenomenon occurs, not only is the paper wasted, but it also causes paper jams and deterioration of print quality. This phenomenon is considered to be mainly due to the fact that only the final recording paper is in direct contact with the bottom of the paper cassette or paper storage space or the plate with the push-up plate, or the bottom plate. Can be Since the friction coefficient of these bottoms or the surface of the plate is different from that of the recording paper, the frictional force is insufficient, and the last few sheets of recording paper cannot be separated and are picked up at the same time. For this reason, the bottom, the surface of the plate, or the inner surface A method has been devised so that materials that increase the coefficient of friction, such as rubber, can be attached to the final printing paper one by one.

However, if the printing device has been used for a certain period of time, the surface of the plate may be covered or lined, or the coated material may be worn due to friction with the recording paper and the coefficient of friction may decrease. However, the plate itself may appear due to wear. Therefore, to ensure stable paper feeding over a long period of time, a material with sufficient thickness covers at least the part facing the pickup roller, and the surface performance changes even if worn. Need to be avoided.

Large printers and desktop-size printers that print on regular-size recording paper such as A4 size (210 mm x 297 mm) have more room for paper cassettes or paper storage space _: Therefore, it is easy to attach a sufficiently thick material to the bottom plate to improve the friction coefficient. However, it is not possible to maintain its performance permanently, as wear is inevitable. In addition, for printers that are small enough to be portable and have a thickness of several centimeters to several millimeters, there is no extra space for affixing members that will wear due to wear. Since the number of recording sheets that can be accommodated in such a thin printer is limited, it is required that the last sheet be used reliably.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can reliably use the last sheet for a long period of time in a printing device such as a printer that picks up and uses a cut sheet. ing. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a technology that enables the use of a handy-sized printer that is easy to carry around and that can be easily used up to the last sheet. Disclosure of the invention

The size of the recording paper used in compact, thin printers suitable for carrying is up to A6 size (105 mm x 144 mm), for example, A7 (74 mm x 105 mm). mm) Some rays are small paper of A8 (52 mm X 74 mm) size. Therefore, it is more difficult to shape the bundle of paper and align the leading edge compared to A4 or larger regular-size recording paper. In addition, any bends in the corners, etc., may cause obstacles in picking up paper or feeding paper inside the printer. In addition, because the paper size is small, the paper cassettes that store them have a small paper storage space, and it is very easy to arrange multiple recording papers inside them without tilting them. Not work. Therefore, the inventors of the present application have studied a method of setting a recording sheet bundle in a storage space of a printer or a sheet cassette without dispersing a bundle of recording sheets in a state where the recording sheets are packaged. . Then, by setting a part of the package between the last sheet of recording paper and the plate, like an underlay, the last sheet is prevented from coming into direct contact with the plate. In addition, by providing an appropriate coefficient of friction to the underlying portion, it was possible to reliably separate and use the last sheet of recording paper.

That is, the packaging material (packaging material) of the present invention binds a plurality of recording papers, and holds the recording paper except at least one of the leading ends thereof, and the holding part. And a portion for holding a plurality of recording papers so as to cover at least a part of one outer surface of one end of the recording paper, and a coefficient of friction of an inner surface in contact with the extended portion of the recording paper is provided. The friction coefficient of the recording paper is set to be approximately equal. In the packaged paper (paper package) in which recording paper is held in this packaging material, the recording paper is held except for one end. Therefore, the package material If the amount of recording paper that can be stored at one time is held in the printer, the paper bundled in the holding part can be set in a printer or other printing device as the side that feeds one end that is not held. Can be Then, while the recording paper is bundled at the holding portion, the pickup roller can be applied to the leading edge of the recording paper to be picked up one by one. Therefore, even when the recording paper is smaller than the regular size, the handling becomes easy, and the trouble of preparing the recording paper can be omitted. Then, when the paper is fed by the pickup roller, it is possible to prevent the end of the paper from being bent or broken to cause a paper jam.

Further, the package material and the paper package of the present invention include a portion extending so as to cover at least a part of one outer surface of one end of the recording paper bundled by the holding portion. ing. Therefore, when the recording paper is set in a printing device with this packaging material bundled, the paper storage unit or the bottom of the paper cassette, as well as the bottom plate or push-up plate that presses the recording paper against the pickup roller. However, there is an extended part between the last sheet of recording paper and the bottom sheet. Therefore, the environment or conditions for generating a frictional force on the last sheet of recording paper is the same as the environment or conditions of the intermediate recording sheet, and the last sheet can be used reliably. Since the package material is replaced at the same time as the recording paper, there is no problem such as a change in the coefficient of friction due to wear or abrasion of members.

In this way, the extended portion of the underlying package material can maintain a coefficient of friction suitable for holding the last sheet, so that the coefficient of friction for holding the coefficient of friction on the printing device or paper cassette side can be maintained. There is no need to provide members. Furthermore, since the outer surface of the outermost recording paper is covered by the extended portion of the package material, elastic members such as panels directly contact the recording paper without the bottom plate. do not do. Therefore, even if pressure is applied only with an elastic member such as a panel, the recording paper may be damaged. Therefore, a member that covers the elastic member such as a bottom plate can be omitted. Therefore, by using the package material of the present invention, a thinner and more compact printer suitable for carrying can be provided, and the cost can be reduced. On the other hand, by using a paper package using the package material of the present invention, the last sheet can be used reliably, so that a limited number of recording papers that can be stored in a thin and compact printer can be used. Can be used effectively.

In the case of a movable type in which the pickup roller moves up and down, the position in the thickness direction of the last recording paper does not change. For this reason, it is not necessary to move the stretched part of the underlay. However, when the pickup roller is fixed, it is necessary to change the position of the last recording paper and press the recording paper against the pickup roller. For this reason, it is desirable that the stretched portion of the underlay be moved in the thickness direction so that the pressure from the panel is easily transmitted to the recording paper. That is, it is desirable that the extended portion be connected to the holding portion so that the position in the thickness direction of the recording paper bundled at the holding portion changes. For example, by connecting the extended portion to the holding portion via a fold or a thin portion, the extended portion can be easily bent with respect to the holding portion.

In addition, when the stretched part is bent by providing a cut along at least a part of the side of the stretched part so as to move separately from the part held by the stretched part The turning radius of the roller can be increased so that the position relative to the pickup roller does not change significantly when the extended portion moves in the thickness direction of the recording paper.

In order to make the friction coefficient of the inner surface of the stretched portion equal to the friction coefficient of the recording paper, it is easiest to make at least the stretched portion made of paper. It is also possible to configure the stretched part or the whole package material with plastic or the like, and adjust the friction coefficient of the inner surface. Also, Not only the stretched part but also the package material can be made entirely of paper, and recycled paper can be used. If it is a paper packaging material, considering the disposal after using the recording paper, it is environmentally friendly. A packaging material that can be easily disposed of can be provided. After the recording paper is used so that it can be recycled, it can be folded and formed into a shape that can be easily returned to the recording paper supplier.

In addition, in order to protect the recording paper during storage and transportation until just before it is set in the printing device, supply the recording paper bundled by the holding part in addition to the holding part and the extended part. It is desirable to provide a part that covers one end, which is the paper side. The covering portion allows the leading end of the picked-up recording paper to be held until immediately before being set in the storage section of the printing apparatus or the paper cassette, thereby preventing a trouble such as a paper jam.

The portion to be covered may be made of a member different from the holding portion or the extended portion. Further, it may be connected to the holding portion or the extended portion so that the covering portion can be separated from the extended portion of the package material and further from the holding portion. In order to easily separate the portion to be covered, it is desirable to form a perforation at the boundary, and furthermore, it is necessary to provide a boundary between the portions covering the two perforations forming a band-like portion. Separation becomes easier.

Further, since the packaging material of the present invention can cover almost the entirety of the recording paper bundled by the holding portion, the extended portion, and the covering portion, damage and debris during transportation and storage of the entire paper, and Can be protected from heat. In addition, the holding part and the extended part are released so that static electricity due to the frictional force when the paper is picked up is released, dust does not adhere, and ink or toner does not affect the adhesion performance of the printing mechanism. It is desirable to use a conductive member. In the case of paper, the conductive member can be realized by mixing a conductive composition such as carbon.

In the paper package of the present invention, the portion extended from the holding portion is protruded like a tongue, and the extended portion is set on the opposite side to the pickup roller. For this reason, it is easy to determine the direction in which the paper package is set in the printing device without providing the front and back displays. Therefore, recording paper with both sides, such as thermal paper, can be set without mistake. In addition, the outer surface of the held or extended portion can be used as a display area that indicates the direction in which the recording paper is set in the printing device, and the specifications, usage conditions, and manufacturing capabilities of the recording paper can be used. Also, it can be used as an area for displaying a description including information of a printing device such as an applicable printer. The packaging material remains even after the recording paper has been consumed, so the specifications of the paper can be checked at any time. In addition, it is possible to purchase a paper package covered by the same package material, which has an advertising effect.

For paper packages stored in portable compact printers, the paper storage space of the printer is small and thin. Therefore, it is useful that the number of sheets to be stored is several ten and the thickness of the package is several mm or less. A7 is easier to set by packaging small and difficult-to-handle paper, such as A8, but it is a box-shaped package material with a length and width of about several cm and a thickness of about several mm or It is not always easy to secure a sufficient amount of glue allowance or area for bonding if a package material smaller than that is manufactured by bonding paper and the like. Therefore, the portion of the package material of the present invention held is divided into a first portion that covers the upper surface of the recording paper stored in the package material and a second portion that covers the lower surface of the recording paper. At least part of the edges of the first and second parts are spread outward and glued together to ensure a sufficient surface The glue allowance for the product can be secured. Furthermore, the outwardly expanded edge can be used as a mark indicating the direction in which the paper package is to be set. It is also possible to adopt a structure that can not be stored unless it is set so that it is in the direction of.

If a cut is provided so that the extended part moves separately from the holding part, a part that covers at least the cut from the leading edge of the bundled recording paper at the holding part is provided. However, it is desirable to prevent garbage from entering through gaps during storage and transportation. Then, when the cover portion is separated from the holding portion, an extended portion may appear. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a package material according to an embodiment of the present invention is viewed from a top surface side.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state where the package material shown in FIG. 1 is viewed from the back surface side.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state where a cap-shaped portion of the package material shown in FIG. 1 is separated.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which printing paper is stored in the package material illustrated in FIG. 1 and a cap-shaped portion is removed.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the paper package shown in FIG. 4 is set in a printer, using a partial cross section.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the amount of printing paper in the paper package is reduced, using a partial cross section.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating an environment in which the last few sheets are picked up when the package material of this example is used.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the different package materials of the present invention viewed from the front side. It is.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the package material shown in FIG. 8 as viewed from the back surface side.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a state in which printing paper is stored in the package material shown in FIG. 8 and a portion of the cap is removed, as viewed from the back surface side.

FIG. 11 is a development view of the packaging material shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which a paper package is set on a printer, using a partial cross section.

FIG. 13 is a view showing a state in which the paper package is stored in the printer, using a partial cross section.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the bundle of sheets in the sheet package has been consumed and reduced by using a partial cross section. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be further described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 show an example of the packaging material of the present invention. The packaging material 1 is a printing paper, in this example, thermal paper is bundled inside, and the paper storage portion of the printer or the paper of the printer is used as it is. It can be set in a cassette. The package material 1 in this example is a thin rectangular parallelepiped paper cassette having a length of about 55 mm, a width of about 77 mm, and a thickness of about 5 mm. A space that can accommodate about 50 sheets can be secured.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the band-shaped member 3 is removed, the package material 1 is provided with a cap-shaped portion 2 that has a force bar at one end serving as a paper feed side 13 of the paper stored therein. Can be separated from 5. Then, the paper is held in a state of being bundled by the cylindrical main body 5 except for the leading end of the paper feed side 13. In addition, a tongue-shaped portion 4 extends from the back side 1 2 of the main body 5 toward the leading end of the paper feed side 13, and the strip-shaped member 3 is removed. Then, the cap-shaped covering part 2 is also separated from the tongue-shaped extending part 4, and the part 2 covering the leading end of the paper is completely removed from the package body 5. Therefore, in the package material 1 of this example, one side is a box-shaped or cylindrical main body 5 that holds the sheets in a bundle, and the cap-shaped part 2 covers the vicinity of the leading end of the sheet feeding side. Part. Further, the portion extending in a tongue shape from the main body 5 4 force At least a part of one outer surface of the leading end of the recording paper supply side 13 of the recording paper bundled by the main body 5 is covered, and the paper is packaged. When the printer is set in the printer, it is an underlay near the leading edge of the paper feeding side. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the band-shaped members 3 serving as these boundaries are preliminarily formed along the boundaries in contact with them so that the cap-shaped portion 2 can be easily removed from the main body 5 and the extended portion 4. It has a 2nd line of 6th power and has 2 lines. It can be easily separated by just pulling the end 3a slightly protruding from the main body 5.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the printing paper 20 is stored in the package material 1 of the present example, and the portion 2 covering the tip of the cap is removed. The package material 1 of this example can cover the entire bundle of printing paper 20 with the cap-shaped portion 2 attached to the main body 5. Therefore, the packaged paper (paper package) 21 before removing the cap-shaped covering part 2 from the main body 5 is shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 1 showing the state of the package material 1 before removing the cap-shaped part. Same as 2. The dimensions of the package material 1 are designed to fit in the printer's paper storage space or paper cassette. Therefore, it is possible to set the recording paper 20 as a printer while holding A8 size paper in the main body 5 of the package material 1 as many as can be set in the storage space or cassette at one time. It is possible.

In the package material 1 of this example, The body 5 of the packaging material 1 When setting the printer in a state where the paper 20 is held, the power bar is applied except for the leading end portion 20a of the paper that the pickup roller of the printer contacts. Therefore, when the cover 2 is removed when the paper package 21 is set on the printer or the paper cassette, the leading end portion 20a of the paper supply side 13 of the recording paper 20 appears. For this reason, the pickup roller can be brought into contact with the leading end portion 20a of the printing paper 20 while the printing paper 20 is bundled with the main body 5 of the package material 1. On the other hand, of the outer surface of the bundled printing paper 20, the side to which the pick-up roller contacts (hereinafter referred to as the front side) 2 Ob, and on the opposite back side, the main body 5 extends to the paper feeding side 13. The bottom part 4 supports the lowermost sheet 20c of the printing paper 20 bundled from the back side.

As shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 4, the surface (front or top surface) of package material 1 has the direction and direction of insertion into the printer or paper cassette (paper feeding direction, paper feeding direction). An arrow 15 is added as a display to indicate 13. In addition, the name of the supplier who provides printing paper by storing it in this packaging material 1, the conditions of use when printing paper, precautions, points to note, usable printer names, etc. The paper package 21 in this example has the specifications 17 such as the contact information of the maker. Set in the paper cassette. And since it has the extended part 4 set on the opposite side to the pickup roller, the setting direction is clearer by the package material 1 and is less likely to be mistaken. Furthermore, by providing a display 15 indicating the setting direction on the main body 5 as in this example, the display 15 can be displayed without knowing the setting direction of the extended portion 4. Just by working on it, you can set the printing paper correctly. In particular, printing with thermal paper, photosensitive paper, or inkjet printing For printing paper with a surface (printing surface) suitable for printing, if the paper is set in the wrong direction, printing will not be possible, or the quality of the printing will be significantly degraded. There is no need to check the surface of the printing paper. Also, when removing the excess printing paper from the cassette and setting it again, the printing paper 20 is contained in the package material 1, so it can be set without fail according to the display.

In addition, by adding the specifications 17 to the main body 5, it is possible to question the setting of printing paper or other methods of use just before or during use of the printing paper 20. You can check at any time.

Further, the package material 1 of the present example remains inside the printer or the paper cassette even after the stored printing paper 20 is used up. For this reason, the next printing paper can be purchased according to the manufacturer name 16 and specification 17 described in the package material 1, and the printing paper is not mistaken. In addition, by listing the manufacturer's name and the like on the package material 1, it is possible to obtain an advertising effect that allows the user to purchase items of the same manufacturer. In other words, it is difficult to put a mark on the printing paper itself so that the unique characteristics of the manufacturer can be easily understood, and even if the performance of the printing paper differs, it is not immediately apparent from the appearance. On the other hand, since the package material 1 merely bundles the printing paper 20 and is not printed, it is possible to add or display a unique design or a color mark. Therefore, the characteristics of the sales or manufacturer can be obtained without affecting the recording paper 20. Of course, it is also possible to display other than the advertisement of the maker, and it is also possible to add an advertisement of a maker other than the printing paper or the printer maker, or a display as a souvenir of the event. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the paper package 21 of this example is set in the paper storage space 37 of the printer 30. This printer 30 This is a thermal printer provided with a thermal head 31 and a platen roller 32, and thermal paper is used as the recording paper 20. Therefore, the thermal paper 20 is stored in the paper package 21. When the cap-shaped cover part 2 is removed, one end portion 20a of the thermal paper 20 appears and extends from the main body 5. Part 4 remains under the stack of thermal paper 20. In this state, when the paper package 21 is set in the storage section 37 of the printer 30 with the extended portion 4 facing down, the pickup roller 33 contacts the leading end 20a of the thermal paper 20, and When the pickup roller 33 rotates in the paper feeding direction, a force in the paper feeding direction acts on the thermal paper 20 to be driven in the paper feeding direction, that is, in the direction of the thermal head 31. Then, since the leading end of the thermal paper 20 hits the separation wall 34, only the paper 20 contacting the uppermost pick-up roller 33 is separated and fed in the direction of the thermal head 31. Further, in the paper package 21 of this example, the surface 20 b of the thermal paper 20 coated with the thermal material is accommodated in the package material 1 facing upwards 11. Since b faces thermal head 31, paper 20 printed with thermal head 3 1 is output.

In order to ensure a contact pressure between the pickup roller 33 and the paper 20, the printer 30 includes a bottom plate 36 and a spring 35 that pushes the bottom plate 36 toward the pickup roller 33. As shown in FIG. 6, when the printing paper 20 is consumed and the thickness of the paper 20 bundle is reduced, the bottom plate 36 moves upward and the paper 20 is transferred to the pickup roller 33 at a substantially constant pressure. Is pressed. Further, in the paper package 21 of this example, a portion 4 extending like a tongue from the main body 5 is inserted between the final paper 20 c and the bottom plate 36 like an underlay. Therefore, the same frictional force acts on the final sheet 20c as on other sheets, and the last few sheets are not picked up and fed at the same time. FIG. 7 shows the general conditions for picking up the paper 20. When the bottom plate 36 is being pushed up by the force F by the spring 35, the friction coefficient between the pickup roller 33 and the paper 20d in contact with the pickup roller 33 is μF. Meanwhile _c frictional forces are working paper feed, paper 2 0 c below the paper 2 0 d is motionless against the separation wall 3 4, between the paper 2 0 d and paper 2 0 c below it, If the friction coefficient between papers is i, a force of μ i F works. The frictional force μ i F becomes a resistance in the paper feeding direction for the paper 20 d and a driving force in the paper feeding direction for the paper 20 c. Furthermore, if the paper 20c is the final paper, the force of iXF acts when the coefficient of friction with the extended portion 4 of the underlying package is used, and this is the resistance. If the paper 20 c is not the final paper, the friction coefficient μ i and / X of the frictional force acting on the paper 20 c are the same, so the driving force and the resistance force are balanced, and only the paper 20 d is picked up It is driven by rollers 33 and moves in the paper feed direction. However, if the friction coefficients μ i and μ X are different and the resistance due to the frictional force of the paper 20 c decreases, the condition that the difference from the driving force exceeds the resistance of the separating wall 34 may be satisfied. is there. In this case, the paper 20c is driven together with the upper paper 20d, and a plurality of recording papers 20 are picked up at the same time and fed to the thermal head 31. For this reason, in addition to wasting paper, a plurality of papers try to enter between the thermal head 31 and the platen roller 32, thereby causing a paper jam (paper jam). In addition, the misalignment of the gap between the thermal head 31 and the platen roller 32 causes print quality to deteriorate and the subsequent paper feed performance to be a cause of troubles. Conversely, if the friction coefficient with the bottom plate 36 is too high, the driving force of the pickup roller 33 will be insufficient, and the final paper cannot be picked up.

If the paper package 21 of this example is adopted, the elongation of the package material 1 will increase. Portion 4 is interposed between the final sheet 20c and the bottom plate 36 and is underlayed. Since the stretched portion 4 is made of paper like the other package material 1, the friction coefficient μ X between the paper and the printing paper 20 c is the friction coefficient μ i between the papers, which is the resistance of the other printing paper. It is almost the same. Therefore, the condition for picking up the final print paper 20c is the same as for the other print papers 20, and it is ensured that the final print paper 20c is picked up together with the upper print paper and fed. Can be prevented. This ensures that the last sheet can be fed one sheet at a time.

Therefore, paper package 2 using package material 1 of this example

If 0 is used, the stretched portion 4 will be inserted between the final sheet and the bottom plate, and the bottom of the last sheet will be laid.Therefore, a lining material that matches the friction coefficient of the bottom plate with the friction coefficient of the paper will be used. There is no need to provide them. Furthermore, since the packaging material 1 is always refreshed every time the paper package 20 is replaced, the coefficient of friction of the extended portion 4 becomes the same as that of other paper, and the printing paper 20 is picked up one by one. Conditions that are suitable for For this reason, the bottom plate lining material is not required on the side of the printer 30, so that the thickness is more compact and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Since the last sheet of printing paper 20 can be picked up and used one sheet at a time, paper is not wasted, and paper jams and deterioration of print quality are also prevented. it can. In particular, a thin and compact printer suitable for carrying is limited in the number of print papers that can be stored, so it is a great advantage to be able to use the last one without fail.

In addition, when setting paper in a compact, thin printer, it is difficult to align multiple sheets because the paper is also compact. Difficult to put in New In the case of the paper package 21 of this example, the paper 20 is pre-packaged, and can be set in the narrow and thin printer storage section 37 in a bundled state without separating the paper. This makes it easier to handle. Therefore, the printing paper packaged with the packaging material of the present example, that is, the paper package 21, is important in providing a compact and portable printer suitable for postcard size or business card size. .

Furthermore, when the paper package 21 of the present example is used, the paper 20 is held by the package material 1 while being fed inside the printer, and comes into contact with the package material 1. Therefore, by making the package material 1 conductive, static electricity generated due to frictional force or the like at the time of pickup can be released from the paper 20 to the outside. If the printing paper 20 is in a charged state, it causes troubles such as dust adhesion, ink adhesion to an unexpected area, and difficulty in ink adhesion. On the other hand, if the package material 1 is made conductive by mixing a conductive material such as carbon into the paper material constituting the package material 1, the paper 20 can be grounded directly or indirectly, eliminating the effects of static electricity.

In addition, in the package 21 of this example, the entirety of the paper 20 is covered with the package material 1 until the cap-shaped portion 2 is removed. ₍ Therefore, the corners of the paper 20 are broken during storage and distribution. In particular, with small-size printing paper, there is not enough room in the paper path in the printer, and the deformation of the printing paper can cause paper jams and print quality. In this case, the paper package 21 can prevent such troubles beforehand.

Figure 8 shows a different paper package 4 1 seen from the front 11 The child is shown. FIG. 9 shows the paper package 41 viewed from the back surface 12. The paper package 41 of this example is also configured by using a paper package material 50 assembled in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the thickness is further reduced to about 2.5 mm. Even with such a thin package material 50, it is possible to store about 25 sheets of printing paper inside. Therefore, a sufficient number of sheets can be packaged as the number of sheets to be set in a compact portable printer.

As shown in an exploded view in FIG. 11, the packaging material 50 of this example constitutes a front surface (front or upper surface) 11 and is folded along the fold line 59 to form a printing paper. The first member 51 has a convex shape so as to secure a sufficient thickness for accommodating the sheet, the second member 52 has a flat plate-like shape constituting the rear surface 12, and the second member 52 has been glued to the paper. And a third member 53 that forms a cassette-shaped package material 50. The edges 51 a of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first member 51 and the edges 53 a of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the third member 53 are formed into a rectangular parallelepiped storage portion 54 when assembled. It is a glue allowance that extends outward and is bonded. Therefore, even with the package material 50 having a thickness of about 2.5 mm as in this example, a sufficient overlapping margin can be secured, and the working efficiency can be improved. The direction and direction of insertion into the printer or paper cassette are also on the upper surface 11 composed of the first member 51 of the package material 50 of this example.

An arrow 15 indicating the paper feeding direction and paper feeding direction, and a manufacturer name 16 or a product name are attached. In addition, the part covering the paper feed side 13 which is one end of the recording paper to be stored has a strip-shaped part 3 that can be removed by two perforations 6 in the cap-shaped cover part 2. It is provided along the border and can be separated by simply pulling on the end 3a and pulling the cap 2 when assembled, as shown in Figures 9 and 11. U, back 1 2 is the second member 5 2 and a third member 53 are attached to each other in a double structure, and the second member 52 constituting the inner side includes a main body 5 serving as a portion for holding recording paper when assembled. A portion 4 extending like a tongue from a portion 5 5a constituting the paper feed side 13 is provided. In addition, cuts 57 are previously formed on the sides of the portion where the extended portion 4 is connected, and the extended portions 4 are formed by these cuts 57. The connecting point between the extended portion 4 and the main body portion 5 5a is a fold 58.

The paper feed side 3 of the third member 53 constituting the outside is a portion 2 that becomes a cap-shaped cover together with the paper feed side 13 of the first member 51 when assembled. The boundary between the cover part 2 and the part 5 5b which is glued to the second member 5 and forms the main body 5 is a strip-shaped part 3 which can be removed by two perforations 6. ing. The portion from the belt-shaped portion 3 of the third member 5 3 to the paper feed side 13 covers the portion 4 extending from the fold 58 when it is overlapped with the second member 52. I have. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, in the packaging material 50 of this example, when the cap-shaped covering portion is separated by holding the end 3 a of the band-shaped portion 3, the packaging material 50 is stored in the packaging material 50. The surface 2 Ob of the paper 20 appears, and the portion 4 extending from the main body 5 appears on the back side. Then, the extended portion 4 covers the outermost of the outermost paper 20 c of the paper 20 bundled in the main body 5, and the extended portion 4 becomes an underlay when set in the storage section of the printer.

Further, the tip of the tongue-shaped extended portion 4 is free, and its side is also separated from the main body 5 by a cut 57 provided in advance. 4 and the main body 5 are connected by a fold 58 so that the extended portion 4 can freely turn around the fold 58 with respect to the main body 5. Therefore, the stretched portion 4 is deformed or moved in the thickness direction of the bundled paper 20 when pressed by the printer panel or the like. The leading end 20a of the stored recording paper 20 can be pressed against the pickup roller.

FIG. 12 shows a state in which the paper package 41 of the present example is set in the paper storage space 37 of the printer 60. Fig. 13 shows the paper package 41 set in the printer 60. _c The printer 60 of this example also has a thermal head 31 and a plate roller in the same manner as described above. This is a thermal printer with 32, and thermal paper is used as the recording paper 20. The printer 60 in this example is further fed by a pickup roller 33 disposed below the housing 61 on the drawing and fed along the platen roller 32 on the right side of the drawing. The direction is reversed, printed by the thermal head 31, and the printed paper 20 is output to the stocker 62 on the top of the housing 61. For this reason, the printer 60 has a paper guide 67 that guides the picked-up paper to the lower side and a printed paper to the upper side, and guides the paper along the platen roller 32. Paper guide 6 8 and housing

A paper ejection guide 69 is provided for guiding the paper 20 ejected outside of 61 in the direction of the stocker 62.

When setting the paper package 41, first open the paper ejection guide 69 as shown in Fig. 12 and then open the cover 6 2 on the top of the housing 61. 6 Open 3. As a result, the paper storage space 37 appears, so the paper package 41 is mounted, and the cover 63 is closed. Paper can be set with just this operation. When the paper package 41 is set, the pickup roller 33 is provided on the lower side of the housing 61 in the printer 60 of this example, so that the surface of the paper stored in the paper package 41 appears ( (Front side) 1 Set 1 so that it is on the lower side. Further, the printer 60 prints with the thermal head 31 after bending the paper feeding direction by 180 degrees, and outputs with the printed surface facing upward. For this reason, paper package 4 1 The print side 20b of the printing paper 20 is stored with the front side 11 facing, and the user can turn the front and back of the paper just by setting the paper package 40 on the printer 60 as described above. You can set the paper correctly without checking.

In the paper package 41 of this example, it is extremely easy to distinguish between the front side 11 and the back side 12. First, the front side 11 has a printed display 15, and the front side 11 has a display 16. The back surface 12 set on the opposite side to the pickup roller 33 has a tongue-shaped portion 4. Further, in the paper package 41 of the present example, the glued portions 51 a and 53 a protrude from either the front side 11 or the back side 12 in a flange shape. Therefore, the distinction between the front side 11 and the back side 12 becomes clear also by the overhanging portions 51a and 53a. In addition, when the paper package 41 is set in the printer, if the paper package 41 is not set in the correct direction, the flanged portions 51 a and 53 a are caught by the housing 61 and cannot be stored. As a method to prevent the paper package 41 from being set in the wrong direction by the structure of the printer side, it is possible to prevent the paper package 41 from interfering with the overhanging portions 51a and 53a. It is also possible to make the structure difficult to close.

In the printer 60 of this example, as shown in FIG. 13, when the paper package 41 is set in the storage section 37 and the cover 63 is closed, the paper package 41 is provided at the front end on the back side of the cover 63. The leaf spring 64 touches the extended portion 4 of the package material 4 1, and presses the paper feed side portion 2 1 a of the paper 20 stored in the paper package 4 1 against the pickup roller 33. Further, as shown in FIG. 14, when the paper 20 is consumed and the thickness of the paper bundle stored in the package 50 is reduced, the stretched portion 4 is folded at the fold 58 with respect to the main body 5. Since it bends, it turns according to the extension of the leaf spring 64. Therefore, even if the number of sheets of paper 20 decreases, the stretched portion 4 becomes an underlay and enters between the panel panel 6 4 and the last sheet of paper. It is possible to press the pickup roller 33 up to the last sheet of paper 20. And, as described in detail in the above embodiment, since the pressure is applied through the stretched portion 4 made of paper, it is possible to keep the same environment such as the friction coefficient when picking up the last several sheets. And eliminates misfeeds.

If the length of the portion 4 extending from the main unit 5 is too short, the turning radius becomes small when the number of sheets of paper 20 decreases and the extended portion 4 turns, and the tip of the extended portion 4 is added by the panel panel 6 4. It may be out of the position to press. Therefore, in the paper package 41 employing the packaging material 50 of the present example, cuts 57 are provided on both sides of the extended portion 4 and the cap 2 is cut off to obtain a sufficiently extended extended portion 4. Appears. Therefore, the leaf spring 64 always presses the sheet 20 through the stretched portion 4, and the stretched portion 4 is applied to the sheet 20 as a substitute for the bottom plate with appropriately dispersed pressure. The paper 20 can be pressed against the pickup roller 33 via the portion 4 extending from the main body 5 if it is a member or structure having an appropriate elastic force, not limited to the plate panel. As mentioned above, the last few sheets can be fed without error.

In the above description, the present invention has been described with an example in which thermal paper is packaged. However, the present invention is not limited to the type of printing paper, and the applicable printer is not limited to thermal. The present invention can be applied to any type such as an ink jet and a laser. Also, by applying the present invention to a sheet of paper on which the surface to be printed is fixed, such as thermal paper, or a sheet of paper having greatly different print quality depending on the front and back sides, the user can set the sheet. This is very effective because you do not have to worry about the direction in which you do it.

In addition, in the printer shown above, the bottom plate moves up and down to secure the pressure when picking up, but the bottom plate moves. Instead, the package material and the paper package of the present invention are effective even with a type of printer or paper feed mechanism in which the pickup roller moves up and down to apply pressure. When the pickup roller is movable, the portion 4 extending from the main body does not need to be movable as described above, and no fold is required.

Further, the shape of the package material is not limited to this example. The last sheet if it is a package material that has a body that can hold the print paper bundled when stored in a printer or paper cassette, and a part that extends in the paper feed direction from there and serves as an underlay We can manufacture and provide paper packages that can be used reliably. Therefore, instead of the box-shaped body as in this example, the main body, which is the portion holding the package material, may be a band-shaped body that holds only near the center of the sheet bundle. However, as in this example, if the package can cover the entire bundle of printing papers during storage or distribution, damage such as corners of the papers can be prevented. In addition, the cap-shaped cover part is separated so that the leading edge of the printing paper can be opened.However, if the cover part can be removed in a form that does not hinder the paper feeding, it is not always necessary. There is no need to separate them. For example, if the part that covers the leading edge of the paper is made of a very thin material, such as cellophane, it can be prevented from disturbing the paper supply even if it is simply opened and not separated.

Further, in the above example, the strip-shaped portion 3 is provided with perforations 6 on both sides to facilitate separation, but the band-shaped portion 3 may be separated only by the perforation without providing the strip-shaped portion. Also, an appropriate means for separating a part of the package can be adopted, such as attaching a cap-shaped portion with a thin tape such as cellophane so that the tape can be separated by peeling off the tape. In addition, the part that covers the tip is partially connected to the main body, and a perforation is provided only at the connected part so that it can be separated. It is also possible to keep it.

Also, the portion 4 extending from the main body does not need to be located under the packaged paper when the package is set in a printer or other printing device. It only needs to be set at the position inserted between the printing paper and the bottom plate of the bottom plate or the storage section. Depending on the printer configuration, as shown in Fig. 10, etc., it may be located above the recording paper. It may be located. Also, in the above description, a fold is provided at the connection point of the portion 4 extending from the main body 5 so that the extended portion 4 moves.However, the connection portion is thinned or a dent is provided so that bending may occur. You may be quick. Further, the connecting portion between the extended portion 4 and the main body 5 may be formed in a bellows shape or may be configured to slide so as to expand and contract in the thickness direction of the sheet bundle.

In the above description, the present invention has been described based on a paper package material as a whole. It can be made of different materials such as plastic, vinyl and cellophane. Further, the stretched portion may be made of a material other than paper as long as the surface of the plastic is processed so that a friction coefficient similar to that of paper can be secured. The packaging material of the present invention can be disposable, so long as it can maintain an appropriate coefficient of friction only once when the surface is processed. Of course, instead of disposable, the user may refill and recycle the printing paper with a simple effort. However, disposable is the most desirable example, as the surface performance of the stretched part of the underlay may deteriorate. And paper packaging materials are easy to dispose of and environmentally friendly. It is also possible to use recycled paper, and in that respect it is possible to recycle it.

Furthermore, in this example, A8 size printing paper is packaged. Although an example is shown, the size is not limited to the A8 size. A4 (210 mm x 297 mm) A certain laser can apply the present invention to a large printing paper such as A3 (297 mm x 42 O mm). However, as described above, the present invention is suitable for packaging paper that is a small size of A6 or smaller and that is applied to a compact printer suitable for carrying or the like. Applicability of the invention

The package material according to the present invention includes a portion for holding the sheets in a bundle, and a portion extending from the holding portion to be inserted between the sheet bundle and the bottom plate when set on the printer. Therefore, the packaging material of the present invention makes it possible to provide small-sized paper in a state in which it can be easily handled, and the packaged paper can be reliably picked up and printed on the last sheet. Become. Therefore, the present invention is suitable for providing printing paper set in a printer having a limited number of sheets that can be stored in a compact manner, such as a portable printer.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. A part for bundling a plurality of recording papers and holding at least one of these recording papers except for the leading edge thereof;

A portion extending from the holding portion so as to cover at least a part of one outer surface of the one end of the recording paper bundled by the holding portion; and A package material in which the friction coefficient of the inner surface in contact with the recording paper is substantially equal to the friction coefficient of the recording paper.

2. The package material according to claim 1, wherein at least the extended portion is made of paper.

3. The package material according to claim 1, wherein the extended portion is connected to the holding portion so that a position in a thickness direction of the recording paper bundled by the holding portion changes.

4. The package material according to claim 3, wherein the extended portion is connected to the holding portion via a fold or a thin portion.

5. The package material according to claim 3, wherein a cut is provided along at least a part of a side of the extended portion so that the extended portion moves separately from the holding portion.

6. The package material according to claim 1, further comprising a portion that covers the one end of the recording paper bundled by the holding portion, and the covering portion is configured to be separable from the extended portion. .

7. The covering part can be separated from the holding part. 7. The packaging material of claim 6, wherein

8. The package material according to claim 7, wherein a boundary of the portion to be covered is a perforation.

9. The package material according to claim 8, wherein at least a part of a boundary of the covering portion is a two-line perforation forming a band-like portion.

10. The package material according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion and the extended portion are made of a conductive member.

11. The holding portion includes a first portion that covers the upper surface of the recording paper housed in the package material, and a second portion that forces the lower surface of the recording paper, 2. The package material according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the edges of the first and second portions are spread outward and bonded.

12. A cut is provided along at least a part of the side of the extended portion so that the extended portion moves separately from the holding portion, and the cut portion is bundled at the holding portion. The package material according to claim 1, further comprising a portion that covers at least the cut portion from the vicinity of the leading end of the recording paper, and the extended portion appears when the covered portion is separated from the holding portion.

13. Packaged paper having the package material according to claim 1 and recording paper stored in the package material.