Cutting mechanism of a printing device

Abstract

A cutting mechanism of a printing device includes a cutter having a cutting blade and a blade receiving member that receives a force from the cutting blade while cutting at least a portion of the printed medium with the cutting blade, and a support member disposed in a manner to inhibit deformation of the blade receiving member, the blade receiving member being adjacent to and fixed to the support member.

Description

[0001] Citation of relevant applications

[0002] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-207685, filed on December 22, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a cutting mechanism for a printing apparatus. Background Technology

[0004] In printing apparatuses that print on strips, such as label printers, most have a cutting mechanism to cut the printed strip. In printing apparatuses that print on laminated strips with a release paper layer (peeling paper layer) on the back side of the printed layer, the cutting mechanism sometimes includes a full cutter that cuts both the printed layer and the release paper layer, or a half cutter that cuts only one side of the printed layer and the release paper layer.

[0005] Full cutters mostly use a scissor structure that cuts the tape by crossing a pair of opposing blades. Half cutters mostly use a pressure-cutting structure, that is, the blade with a stop is pressed against the blade bearing member, and the tape is cut while the stop ensures a specified interval between the blade bearing member and the blade.

[0006] It is known that cutters with a pressure-cutting structure, such as semi-cutters, are prone to bending moments due to the strong load applied during cutting. As a countermeasure, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-136301 proposes a technique to fix the cutter unit of the semi-cutter to the cutter fixing part only near the cutting position of the printed tape.

[0007] In Japanese Patent No. 4069037, the configuration is as follows: the blade bearing member constituting the half cutter is fixed to the fixed blade constituting the full cutter, and the load borne by the blade bearing member during half cutting is borne by the fixed blade and the fixed blade support. Summary of the Invention

[0008] One aspect of the cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a cutter having a cutting blade and a blade bearing member, wherein the cutting blade cuts at least a portion of the printed medium while bearing a force from the cutting blade on the blade bearing member; and a support member disposed in such a manner as to suppress deformation of the blade bearing member, wherein the blade bearing member is adjacent to and fixed to the support member. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a front view showing the internal structure of the printing apparatus of this embodiment.

[0010] Figure 2This is a side view showing the internal structure of the printing apparatus of this embodiment.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the printing apparatus of this embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a magnified front view of the area near the cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus in this embodiment.

[0013] Figures 5A and 5B illustrate the operation of the half-cutter.

[0014] Figures 6A and 6B are magnified front views of the cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus of the comparative example. Detailed Implementation

[0015] Hereinafter, the methods for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figures 1 to 3 The internal structure of the printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is shown. Figures 1 to 3 The printing apparatus 10 is completed by mounting external components on the outer side of the internal structure shown. The printing apparatus 10 is a label printer that produces labels by printing on a strip 20, which is a strip-shaped printing medium.

[0016] The tape 20 is housed in the tape holder 25. The tape holder 25 is installed in the box mounting section 11 within the printing apparatus 10, and the tape 20 pulled out from the tape holder 25 is printed.

[0017] Printing in the printing apparatus 10 is performed by heat transfer, which involves heating the ink on the ink ribbon (not shown) to adhere to the ribbon 20. A thermal head 12, which serves as a print head for heating the ink ribbon during printing, is provided in the cartridge mounting section 11.

[0018] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the tape 20 is a structure formed by stacking a release paper layer 21, an adhesive layer 22, and a printing layer 23. The ink tape housed in the tape cassette 25 is conveyed overlapping the printing layer 23. During printing, the ink contained in the ink tape is melted by the heating of the thermal head 12 and adheres to the printing layer 23.

[0019] Furthermore, the printing method in the printing apparatus 10 is not limited to thermal transfer. For example, it could be a thermal printing apparatus in which the colorant contained in the printing layer 23 is developed by heating the thermal head 12.

[0020] Within the printing apparatus 10, a pressure roller 13 is provided at a position opposite to the thermal head 12. The pressure roller 13 can move to a position separate from the thermal head 12 and to a position in contact with the thermal head 12.

[0021] The tape 20 and ink ribbon pulled from the tape cassette 25 pass between the thermal head 12 and the pressure roller 13. By moving the pressure roller 13 to a position in contact with the thermal head 12, the tape 20 and ink ribbon are clamped between the thermal head 12 and the pressure roller 13. During printing, the thermal head 12 is heated in this clamped state. Additionally, when the pressure roller 13 is rotated in this clamped state, the tape 20 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction. After printing, the tape 20 is conveyed by the rotation of the pressure roller 13 and discharged outside the printing apparatus 10.

[0022] The printing apparatus 10 has a base chassis 14. The base chassis 14 constitutes the main body of the printing apparatus 10 and is formed of a high-strength material such as metal. Various components constituting the printing apparatus 10 are directly or indirectly mounted on the base chassis 14. The base chassis 14 has a base plate 14a and multiple sidewalls protruding from the base plate 14a. The base plate 14a is generally rectangular in shape. The direction connecting one pair of sides of the base plate 14a is designated as the X-axis direction, and the direction connecting the other pair of sides of the base plate 14a is designated as the Y-axis direction. The X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions is designated as the Z-axis direction.

[0023] A support wall 15 (support member) is provided along one of the four sides of the base plate 14a, extending in the Y-axis direction. The support wall 15 is a wall portion that protrudes from the base plate 14a in the Z-axis direction and has a predetermined thickness in the X-axis direction. In addition, although the support wall 15 has an uneven or irregular shape and is not completely flat, it is a flat plate-shaped portion that extends generally in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions and has a pair of side surfaces facing the X-axis direction.

[0024] By rotating the pressure roller 13, the belt 20 is conveyed in approximately the X-axis direction. That is, the X-axis direction is the conveying direction of the belt 20. Additionally, the Y-axis direction is the thickness direction of the belt 20, and the Z-axis direction is the width direction of the belt 20. The support wall 15 is a vertical wall, located in a direction intersecting (approximately perpendicular to) the conveying direction of the belt 20. With the support wall 15 as the boundary, the inner side of the printing apparatus 10 ( Figure 1 The left side) is set as the inner side of the conveying direction, and the outer side of the printing device 10 is set as the outer side ( Figure 1 The right side) is set as the outer side in the conveying direction. The printed tape 20 is transversely positioned at the location of the support wall 15 and discharged to the outside of the printing device 10. The support wall 15 is shaped to not obstruct the conveying path of the tape 20, and at the end of the support wall 15 facing the Y-axis direction, an edge 15a is formed at a position facing the conveying path of the tape 20 (see reference). Figure 4 ).

[0025] A pair of (see reference) edges 15a are provided near both ends in the Z-axis direction of the support wall 15. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The spacing between a pair of edges 15a is wider than the maximum width of the belt 20 intended to be used in the printing apparatus 10, and the edges 15a are arranged at two locations in the Z-axis direction across the passage area of ​​the belt 20.

[0026] Near the support wall 15, a belt guide 17 is provided to guide the belt 20 and determine its conveying path. The belt guide 17 is positioned inside the support wall 15 in the conveying direction. Figure 4 As shown, the belt guide 17 has a guide portion 17a and a support portion 17b that are separately arranged on both sides of the conveying path of the belt 20 in the Y-axis direction.

[0027] The guide portion 17a is provided at a predetermined interval in the Y-axis direction relative to the edge portion 15a of the support wall 15, and is located slightly inside the conveying direction than the support wall 15. The support portion 17b is located side by side with the support wall 15 inside the conveying direction. There is a gap between the support portion 17b and the support wall 15, which is equal to the thickness of the blade bearing member 36 of the half-cutter 35, described later.

[0028] The printed tape 20 passes between the guide portion 17a and the support portion 17b, advancing outward in the conveying direction. An inclined portion 17c is provided at the front end of the guide portion 17a, which reduces the distance between itself and the support wall 15 in the Y-axis direction as it advances from the inside to the outside in the conveying direction. The inclined portion 17c guides the tape 20 to travel in the appropriate direction.

[0029] The printing apparatus 10 has a cutting mechanism 30 located midway along the conveying path of the tape 20. The printed tape 20 is cut by the cutting mechanism 30 to complete the label. Regarding the cutting of the tape 20 by the cutting mechanism 30, a full cut by the full cutter 31 and a half cut by the half cutter 35 can be selected. The cutting mechanism 30 will be described below.

[0030] In the cutting mechanism 30, the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 are configured in different positions in the conveying direction. The full cutter 31 is located on the upstream side of the conveying direction (the side close to the thermal head 12 and the pressure roller 13), and the half cutter 35 is located on the downstream side of the conveying direction (the side away from the thermal head 12 and the pressure roller 13).

[0031] Each component of the cutting mechanism 30 is supported by the support wall 15, which constitutes a support member for the cutting mechanism 30. In the printing apparatus 10, among the full cutter 31 and half cutter 35 arranged along the conveying direction, the half cutter 35 is positioned adjacent to the support wall 15, and the full cutter 31 is positioned inside the half cutter 35 in the conveying direction (away from the support wall 15).

[0032] like Figure 4As shown, the full cutter 31 is positioned inside the conveying direction relative to the belt guide 17. The full cutter 31 has a fixed blade 32 and a movable blade 33. The fixed blade 32 is located adjacent to the support portion 17b in the X-axis direction, and the movable blade 33 is located adjacent to the guide portion 17a in the X-axis direction. The fixed blade 32 is fixed to the support portion 17b. The movable blade 33 is supported relative to the support wall 15 in a manner that allows it to rotate about an axis (not shown) in the X-axis direction. The movable blade 33 is forced by a spring (not shown) in a direction separating it from the fixed blade 32. This separated state is the basic state of the full cutter 31; when making a full cut on the belt 20, the movable blade 33 moves against the force of the spring.

[0033] The full cutter 31 cuts the entire thickness of the strip 20 (from the release paper layer 21 to the printed layer 23) using a scissor-like structure. The movable blade 33 approaches the fixed blade 32, and the tips of the fixed blade 32 and the movable blade 33 intersect in the Y-axis direction, cutting the strip 20 between their tips.

[0034] like Figure 4 As shown, the semi-cutter 35 is positioned outside the conveying direction relative to the guide member 17. The semi-cutter 35 has a blade-bearing member 36 and a cutting blade 37.

[0035] The blade bearing member 36 is a plate-shaped component disposed in the X-axis direction between the support portion 17b of the guide member 17 and the support wall 15. The side of the blade bearing member 36 is fixed to the inner surface of the support wall 15 in a close-fitting state. In other words, the blade bearing member 36 is fixed adjacent to the support wall 15 in the conveying direction of the belt 20.

[0036] The support portion 17b with guide 17 is connected to and fixed to the inner side of the blade bearing member 36 in the conveying direction (the side opposite to the side fixed to the support wall 15). Similarly, the fixed blade 32 of the full cutter 31 is connected to and fixed to the inner side of the support portion 17b in the conveying direction (the side opposite to the side fixed to the blade bearing member 36). In other words, from the inner side of the conveying direction to the outer side, the fixed blade 32 of the full cutter 31, the support portion 17b with guide 17, the blade bearing member 36 of the half cutter 35, and the support wall 15 are arranged in a mutually fixed relationship.

[0037] There is no limitation on the method of fixing these components. As an example, the blade bearing member 36 is fixed to the support wall 15 with screws. It can be done by any method such as bonding or welding. In addition, in addition to the blade bearing member 36, a common fastening structure in which the support part 17b with guide 17 and the fixing blade 32 of the full cutter 31 are fixed together with screws can also be used to fix the support part 17b with guide 17 and the fixing blade 32 of the full cutter 31 together with screws to the support wall 15.

[0038] The blade bearing member 36 has a supported portion 36a along the side of the support wall 15, and the supported portion 36a is fixed relative to the support wall 15. At the front end of the supported portion 36a in the Y-axis direction, a bearing portion 36b with a curved shape is provided, bending outward relative to the supported portion 36a in the conveying direction. The bearing portion 36b connects to the edge portion 15a of the support wall 15 in the Y-axis direction and extends relatively long in the Z-axis direction (see reference). Figure 2 Since the bearing portion 36b is supported by a pair of edges 15a located near both ends in the Z-axis direction of the support wall 15, the position of the bearing portion 36b can be determined with high precision.

[0039] For example, in a structure where the bearing portion 36b is supported not by a pair of edges 15a as in this embodiment, but by the entire long end face of the support wall 15 extending in the Z-axis direction, the bearing portion 36b may tilt if a portion of the end face of the support wall 15 has a shape defect (such as unevenness). Therefore, it is necessary to manage the accuracy of the entire end face of the support wall 15. In contrast, in the structure of this embodiment, only the pair of edges 15a requires high precision management. The area between the pair of edges 15a is formed into a recessed shape (concave shape) that does not contact the bearing portion 36b. Therefore, it is easy to manage the precision of the support wall 15 and the bearing portion 36b can be supported with high precision.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the cutting blade 37 is composed of a cutting edge 37a and a stop 37b. The cutting edge 37a and the stop 37b overlap and are joined together in the X-axis direction. The cutting edge 37a has a sharp cutting tip shape, while the stop 37b does not have the same sharp cutting tip shape as the cutting edge 37a. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the stop 37b protrudes more in the Y-axis direction near both ends in the Z-axis direction than the cutting edge 37a, and there is a difference S1 in the amount of protrusion from the cutting tip of the cutting edge 37a to the front end of the stop 37b. The difference S1 is set to a value smaller than the thickness T1 of the release paper layer 21 in the tape 20 (S1 < T1).

[0041] like Figure 4 As shown, the cutting edge 37 is located on the extension line of the support wall 15 in the Y-axis direction, and the front end of the cutting edge 37 is opposite to the bearing portion 36b of the blade bearing member 36 in the Y-axis direction. The distance between the cutting edge 37 and the bearing portion 36b is changed by the driving structure described later. Figure 5A shows the state where the cutting edge 37 is separated from the bearing portion 36b, and Figure 5B shows the half-cutting state where the cutting edge 37 is closest to the bearing portion 36b.

[0042] In the half-cut state, the front end of the stop 37b abuts against the bearing portion 36b from the side opposite to the edge 15a of the support wall 15, restricting further approach. The blade 37a cuts into the belt 20 until it is halfway through, stopping when it has separated from the bearing portion 36b by a difference S1 in the amount of protrusion from the stop 37b. The difference S1 on the cutting blade 37 side and the thickness T1 of the release paper layer 21 are set to values ​​that allow the blade 37a to cut into the middle of the release paper layer 21. Therefore, in the half-cut state, the blade 37a cuts through the adhesive layer 22 and the printing layer 23, and the blade 37a is in a state where it has cut into the middle of the release paper layer 21. In the portion where the blade 37a has not cut in, the release paper layer 21 is not cut and remains continuous in the X-axis direction.

[0043] As described above, the semi-cutter 35 is a pressure-cutting structure in which the cutting blade 37 with the stop 37b abuts against the blade bearing member 36, and the blade bearing member 36 bears the force from the cutting blade 37 while cutting a portion of the thickness of the strip 20 (adhesive layer 22 and printed layer 23).

[0044] The cutting blade 37 is mounted on the movable component 40. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the movable member 40 is a plate-shaped component capable of rotating about a rotation axis 40a in the X-axis direction, which is connected to and supported by the support wall 15. The area near the rotation axis 40a of the movable member 40 is positioned on the outer side of the support wall 15 along the conveying direction. As described above, since the blade bearing member 36 of the half-cutter 35 is supported on the inner side of the support wall 15 in the conveying direction, the structure is such that the blade bearing member 36 is supported on one side of the support wall 15, and the movable member 40 is supported on the other side of the support wall 15 (the side opposite to the blade bearing member 36 across the support wall 15).

[0045] In this way, by separating the fixed part, i.e. the blade bearing member 36 in the half-cutter 35, and the movable member 40 on which the movable part, i.e. the cutting blade 37 in the half-cutter 35 is installed, and placing them on both sides of the support wall 15, the components of the half-cutter 35 can be housed in the area close to the support wall 15 with good space efficiency.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, the movable member 40 is approximately L-shaped when viewed from the side along the X-axis, with the curved portion of the L supported by the rotation axis 40a. A cutting blade 37 is mounted on the first arm 40b of the L-shaped movable member 40. The cutting blade 37 is fixed to the first arm 40b by a fixing screw 42. Figure 4As shown, a cutting blade 37 is mounted on the inner surface of the first arm 40b facing the conveying direction. Therefore, the first arm 40b is located on the outer side of the support wall 15 in the conveying direction, while the cutting blade 37 is arranged in the same position as the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction (in the Y-axis direction). The distance between the tip of the cutting blade 37 and the bearing portion 36b of the blade bearing member 36 can be changed by rotating (swinging) the movable member 40.

[0047] Furthermore, the movement of the cutting blade 37 is achieved by the swinging of the movable member 40 centered on the rotation axis 40a. However, when the cutting blade 37 abuts against the bearing portion 36b, the tip of the cutting blade 37 is approximately parallel to the bearing portion 36b (becoming the direction of extension in the Z-axis direction). Therefore, during half-cutting, the compressive force applied from the cutting blade 37 to the blade bearing member 36 is predominantly in the Y-axis direction.

[0048] A tension spring 41 is connected between the first arm 40b of the movable member 40 and the spring suspension portion 14b of the chassis 14. The tension spring 41 applies a force to the movable member 40 in the direction that causes the cutting blade 37 to separate from the blade bearing member 36. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The diagram shows the state in which the cutting blade 37 is separated from the blade bearing member 36 by the force of the tension spring 41. This separated state is the basic state of the half-cutter 35, in which the movable member 40 is actuated against the force of the tension spring 41 when half-cutting the belt 20.

[0049] The second arm 40c of the L-shaped movable member 40 has a crank shape that bends in the X-axis direction midway. Furthermore, near the front end of the second arm 40c, located inside the support wall 15 in the conveying direction, it has a cam follower 40d protruding from the second arm 40c (see reference). Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).

[0050] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a motor 43 is mounted on the outside of the support wall 15. The rotation of the output shaft of the motor 43 is transmitted while being reduced in speed by the reduction gear system 44. A cam member 45 is provided, which rotates integrally with the final gear of the reduction gear system 44. A cutter control cam 45a is formed on the cam member 45. The output shaft of the motor 43 extends in the Y-axis direction. The axes of rotation of each gear constituting the reduction gear system 44 and the respective rotation axes of the cam member 45 extend in the Z-axis direction. The direction of rotational transmission is changed by a bevel gear provided on the outer surface of the output shaft of the motor 43, and driving force is transmitted from the motor 43 to the reduction gear system 44.

[0051] like Figure 2As shown, the movable blade 33 of the full cutter 31 has a cam follower 33a located near the cutter control cam 45a. The cam follower 40d of the movable member 40 is also located near the cutter control cam 45a. The cam follower 33a and the cam follower 40d are separately arranged on both sides of the cutter control cam 45a in the rotational direction of the cam member 45.

[0052] Motor 43 is a DC motor. By switching the rotation direction of the output shaft of motor 43, the rotation direction of cam member 45 is changed. This will cause cam member 45 to rotate in the first direction ( Figure 2 The motor 43, which rotates counterclockwise, is set to drive clockwise, which will cause the cam component 45 to rotate in the second direction (counterclockwise). Figure 2 The driving direction of the motor 43, which rotates clockwise, is set to reverse.

[0053] When the forward rotation of the motor 43 causes the cam member 45 to rotate in the first direction, the cutter control cam 45a pushes the cam follower 33a. Thus, the movable blade 33 overcomes the force of the spring applied to it and moves towards the fixed blade 32. Figure 2 (The clockwise direction) is used to fully cut the belt 20.

[0054] When the cam member 45 rotates in the second direction due to the reverse rotation of the motor 43, the cutter control cam 45a pushes the cam follower 40d. Thus, the cutting blade 37 overcomes the force of the tension spring 41 applied to the movable member 40 and moves towards the blade bearing member 36. Figure 2 (The clockwise direction) movement is used to partially cut belt 20.

[0055] A pair of cam position detection switches 46 are provided around the cam member 45 to detect the rotational position of the cam member 45. Each pair of cam position detection switches 46 has a protrusion that contacts the circumferential cam 45b of the cam member 45. The protrusion changes to a protruding state and a pressed-in state according to the shape change of the circumferential cam 45b caused by the rotation of the cam member 45.

[0056] Based on the positional relationship of the protrusions of a pair of cam position detection switches 46, it is possible to detect the initial state in which neither cutter operates, the full-cut state in which the full cutter 31 performs a cutting operation, and the half-cut state in which the half cutter 35 performs a cutting operation. Figure 2 The initial state is shown, with a protrusion at one cam position detection switch 46 and a protrusion at the other cam position detection switch 46 being pressed in. In the fully cut state, the protrusions are protruding at both ends of the pair of cam position detection switches 46. In the half-cut state, the protrusions are pressed in at both ends of the pair of cam position detection switches 46.

[0057] During a full cut, the control unit of the printing apparatus 10 rotates the motor 43 forward until the full cut state is detected. When the full cut state is detected, the motor 43 stops and then reverses to return to the initial state. During a partial cut, the control unit of the printing apparatus 10 reverses the motor 43 until the partial cut state is detected. When the partial cut state is detected, the motor 43 stops and then rotates forward to return to the initial state. The torque generated at the moment when the motor 43 stops upon detecting the partial cut state is transmitted to the cutting blade 37 via the reduction gear train 44, the cam member 45, and the movable member 40, and the load is applied from the stop member 37b to the blade bearing member 36.

[0058] In the cutting mechanism 30 operating as described above, the full cutter 31 cuts (fully cuts) the strip 20 using a scissor structure where the tips of the fixed blade 32 and the movable blade 33 intersect. Therefore, during cutting, a strong force in the Y-axis direction is not applied from the movable blade 33 to the fixed blade 32. In contrast, regarding the half cutter 35, since the strip 20 is cut (half-cut) using a pressure-cutting structure where the cutting blade 37 with a stop 37b abuts against the bearing portion 36b of the blade bearing member 36, a force in the Y-axis direction is input from the cutting blade 37 to the blade bearing member 36 during cutting. The force applied to the blade bearing member 36 during half-cutting varies depending on the model of the printing device 10, etc. For example, a load of about 40 kg is applied.

[0059] To illustrate the effect of the printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, a comparative example with a different structure is shown in Figures 6A and 6B. The cutting mechanism 130 in this comparative example has a full cutter 131 and a half cutter 135.

[0060] The full cutter 131 has a fixed blade 132 and a movable blade 133, and cuts the entire thickness of the strip 120 by means of a scissor structure in which the fixed blade 132 and the movable blade 133 intersect. The half cutter 135 has a blade bearing member 136 and a cutting blade 137, the cutting blade 137 having a cutting portion 137a and a stop member 137b, and is supported by a movable member 140. Then, a portion of the thickness of the strip 120 is cut by a pressure-cutting structure in which the stop member 137b of the cutting blade 137 abuts against the bearing portion 136b of the blade bearing member 136.

[0061] The belt guide 117 has a guide portion 117a and a support portion 117b located on both sides of the conveying path of the belt 120 in the Y-axis direction.

[0062] In the cutting mechanism 130, a full cutter 131 is arranged adjacent to the support wall 115, which is part of the chassis, on the outer side in the conveying direction. Adjacent to the full cutter 131, a guide member 117 is arranged adjacent to the outer side in the conveying direction, and a half cutter 135 is further arranged adjacent to the guide member 117 on the outer side in the conveying direction. More specifically, based on the support wall 115, the fixed blade 132 of the full cutter 131, the support portion 117b of the guide member 117, and the supported portion 136a of the blade-bearing member 136 of the half cutter 135 are arranged sequentially on the outer side in the conveying direction. The supported portion 136a is fixed relative to the support portion 117b. Therefore, the distance from the support wall 115 to the blade-bearing member 136 in the X-axis direction becomes larger.

[0063] Furthermore, the bearing portion 136b of the blade bearing member 136 bends outward in the conveying direction. Therefore, the position where the cutting blade 137 abuts against the bearing portion 136b is further away from the support wall 115.

[0064] Figure 6A illustrates the case where, in the cutting mechanism 130 with such a structure, a load is applied from the cutting blade 137 to the bearing portion 136b of the blade bearing member 136 in the Y-axis direction during half-cutting. Here, the bearing portion 136b, which serves as the load input point, and the support wall 115, which ultimately bears the load, are significantly offset in the X-axis direction. Therefore, when the load applied to the blade bearing member 136 is large, a large bending moment inclined relative to the Y-axis direction is generated.

[0065] The support wall 115 has high strength to resist loads (compressive loads) applied linearly in the Y-axis direction. On the other hand, since the thickness of the support wall 115 in the X-axis direction is limited, and the support wall 115 is a cantilever structure at the location supporting the fixed blade 132 and the blade bearing member 136, the support wall 115 is prone to deformation in the X-axis direction. Here, when a large load is applied from the cutting blade 137 to the blade bearing member 136 and the aforementioned bending moment is generated, as shown in FIG6B, the support wall 115 may bend and deform in the X-axis direction.

[0066] When the support wall 115 bends, the fixed blade 132 and the blade bearing member 136 supported by the support wall 115 also tilt along with the support wall 115. As a result, the position of the bearing portion 136b relative to the cutting blade 137 deviates from its designed position, leading to either excessive or insufficient cutting depth during partial cutting. In the example of Figure 6B, due to the tilting of the blade bearing member 136, the gap between the bearing portion 136b and the blade portion 137a widens, resulting in insufficient cutting depth for the blade portion 137a.

[0067] Moreover, the deformation of the support wall 115 shown in Figure 6B is not elastic deformation but plastic deformation. If the deformation of the support wall 115 is maintained after the half-cutting action, the positional displacement of the blade bearing member 136 will continue in the next cutting action.

[0068] Furthermore, while maintaining the deformation of the support wall 115, the position of the fixed blade 132 of the full cutter 131 also remains offset, which may prevent the proper full cutting action from being performed. For example, in the state shown in FIG. 6B, the fixed blade 132 is located on the movement trajectory of the movable blade 133, and the movable blade 133 no longer intersects with the fixed blade 132, thus avoiding conflict. If the support wall 115 bends in the direction opposite to that shown in FIG. 6B, the gap between the fixed blade 132 and the movable blade 133 is too large, and it may be impossible to cut the strip 120.

[0069] Unlike the comparative examples in Figures 6A and 6B, in the printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the support wall 15 and the blade bearing member 36 are adjacent in the conveying direction (X-axis direction) without any other members sandwiched between them. The blade bearing member 36 is close to the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction. Therefore, when the blade bearing member 36 bears a load toward the Y-axis direction from the cutting blade 37, the torque tilted relative to the input direction of the load is difficult to act.

[0070] Furthermore, the blade-bearing member 36 has a bearing portion 36b that bends outward in the conveying direction (towards the support wall 15), and the bearing portion 36b is located in contact with the edge portion 15a of the support wall 15. Therefore, the cutting blade 37, the bearing portion 36b, and the support wall 15 are arranged in a positional relationship along the Y-axis direction. During half-cutting, the load from the cutting blade 37 is linearly input to the support wall 15 via the bearing portion 36b. The support wall 15 has high strength for loads (compressive loads) linearly input in the Y-axis direction; therefore, it is highly advantageous in terms of strength for the edge portion 15a to bear the load. Additionally, by directly bearing the force from the bearing portion 36b with the edge portion 15a, shear loads are less likely to occur between the supported portion 36a of the blade-bearing member 36 and the support wall 15.

[0071] Based on the above reasons, even when the cutting mechanism 30 applies a strong force from the cutting blade 37 to the blade bearing member 36 during half-cutting, the blade bearing member 36 and the support wall 15 are not easily deformed, making it a structure with excellent reliability and durability for the operation of the half-cutter 35.

[0072] By studying the configuration of the components constituting the full cutter 31 or the half cutter 35, an effect of improved load-bearing capacity was achieved. For each component, there was no need for special enlargement or weight increase to improve rigidity. For example, the support wall 15 was set to have the same thickness as the other walls constituting the chassis 14; instead of simply increasing the wall thickness of the support wall 15, the required strength as a support for the cutting mechanism 30 was sufficiently met. Therefore, the printing apparatus 10 including the cutting mechanism 30 can be constructed in a compact and lightweight manner, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0073] To ensure reliable half-cutting in the half-cutter 35, precise management of the spacing between the bearing portion 36b of the blade bearing member 36 and the cutting portion 37a of the cutting blade 37 is required. Here, since the structure suppresses tilting of the blade bearing member 36, the spacing between the bearing portion 36b and the cutting portion 37a remains constant, making position management of the cutting portion 37a in the cutting blade 37 easier. Specifically, by appropriately managing the difference S1 in the protrusion amount between the cutting portion 37a and the stop member 37b (Figs. 5A and 5B), the dimensional tolerance requirements related to the protrusion amount of the stop member 37b can be mitigated (the tilting of the blade bearing member 36 can be disregarded), thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the cutting mechanism 30.

[0074] Regarding the full cutter 31, since it has a structure with a half cutter 35 and a guide 17 disposed between the full cutter 31 and the support wall 15, the distance between the full cutter 31 and the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction is larger than that of the half cutter 35. However, since the movable blade 33 does not press against the fixed blade 32 during full cutting, the full cutter 31 is less likely to exert a large force on the support portion of the movable blade 33 and the fixed blade 32 compared to the half cutter 35. Therefore, even if the full cutter 31 is configured as in the cutting mechanism 30 of this embodiment, a large torque that deforms the support wall 15 will not be applied during full cutting.

[0075] Thus, the cutting mechanism 30 in the printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment takes into account the differences in the structural and operational conditions of the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35, and clarifies and realizes how to configure the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 relative to the support wall 15 in a way that is advantageous in terms of load resistance.

[0076] Furthermore, the blade bearing member 36 constituting the half-cutter 35 is provided with a bearing portion 36b located on the extension line of the support wall 15 in the Y-axis direction, so that the bearing portion 36b and the support wall 15 are located in the direction of the force exerted by the cutting blade 37, thus making it less likely to generate a bending moment that would cause the support wall 15 to tilt.

[0077] In addition, in the Z-axis direction (the width direction of the belt 20), at two locations that cross the passage area of ​​the belt 20, the edge 15a of the support wall 15 abuts against the bearing portion 36b. This makes it easy to manage the positional accuracy of the bearing portion 36b and enables the position of the bearing portion 36b to be determined with high precision.

[0078] Furthermore, the blade-bearing member 36 (supported portion 36a) of the semi-cutter 35 and the movable member 40 supporting the cutting blade 37 are separately arranged on both sides of the support wall 15. This structure improves the spatial efficiency of the components used to arrange the semi-cutter 35, and enhances the cross-sectional rigidity through the stacking relationship of the blade-bearing member 36, the support wall 15, and the movable member 40. Consequently, the strength near the semi-cutter 35 becomes even more superior.

[0079] The above embodiments are specific examples shown for ease of understanding of the invention. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0080] As a variation, the guide 17 may not be positioned between the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35; instead, the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 may be arranged adjacent to each other in the X-axis direction. However, when the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 are adjacent, interference may occur when the movable blade 33 of the full cutter 31 or the cutting blade 37 of the half cutter 35 is in operation. Therefore, considering the absorption of accuracy errors, it is preferable to ensure a specified gap between the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35.

[0081] In this embodiment, the belt guide 17, in addition to guiding the belt 20 via the guide portion 17a or supporting the fixed blade 32 via the support portion 17b, also functions as a separator to ensure the gap between the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35. Since there are significant advantages to arranging the belt guide 17 between the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 in this way, this structure is adopted in the printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment.

[0082] As another variation, regarding the half-cutter 35, a structure can also be adopted that follows the structure of this embodiment, but with the full-cutter 31 positioned on the outer side of the support wall 15 in the conveying direction. That is, the positional relationship between the full-cutter 31 and the half-cutter 35 in the X-axis direction is reversed, and the half-cutter 35 and the full-cutter 31 are arranged on opposite sides of the support wall 15. However, most cutting devices are designed based on the position of the full-cutter. If the full-cutter 31 is positioned on the outer side of the support wall 15 in the conveying direction, the distance from the thermal head 12 to the full-cutter 31 becomes longer, and the utilization efficiency of the tape 20 may decrease (the area not used for printing increases).

[0083] From this perspective, the printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment employs a structure in which the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 are sequentially arranged from the upstream side in the conveying direction. This configuration improves the utilization efficiency of the belt 20. Furthermore, by not arranging the full cutter 31 on the outside of the support wall 15 in the conveying direction, it is possible to prevent the printing apparatus 10 from becoming larger, and in particular, to prevent the extension and enlargement of the conveying path in the X-axis direction.

[0084] In the printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the cutter having a cutting blade 37 and a blade bearing member 36 is a half-cutter 35, but a cutter having a pressure-cutting structure such as a cutting blade 37 and a blade bearing member 36 is not limited to a half-cutter. For example, a cutter using the pressure-cutting structure of the present invention (i.e., having a cutting blade and a blade bearing member) can also be a full cutter that cuts the entire thickness of the strip. Since the problem of easily applying bending moment due to the strong load applied during cutting originates from the pressure-cutting structure, the technical concept of the present invention is useful for all cutters having a pressure-cutting structure.

Claims

1. A cutting mechanism for a printing apparatus, characterized in that, have: A cutter having a cutting blade and a blade-bearing member, wherein the blade-bearing member bears a force from the cutting blade while the cutting blade cuts off at least a portion of the printed medium. as well as The support member is configured to suppress deformation of the blade-bearing member. The blade-bearing member is adjacent to and fixed to the support member, and has a supported portion and a bearing portion. The supported portion is along the side of the support member, and the bearing portion is curved relative to the supported portion and located at the edge of the support member facing the transport path of the printed medium. The cutting edge abuts against the bearing portion from the side opposite to the edge of the supporting member. When a portion of the printed medium is cut off by the cutter, the edge of the support member abuts against the bearing portion at two locations, which span the passage area of ​​the printed medium in the width direction.

2. The cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cutting blade and the blade-bearing member constitute a semi-cutter that cuts off a portion of the thickness of the printed medium. When cutting off a portion of the thickness of the printed medium, a stop provided on the cutting blade abuts against the blade-bearing member. The cutting mechanism also includes a full cutter that cuts through the entire thickness of the printed medium. The support member is a support wall provided in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the printed medium.

3. The cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The full cutter has a fixed blade and a movable blade. In the direction of conveying the printed medium, the fixed blade of the full cutter, the belt guide for guiding the conveying of the printed medium, the blade bearing member of the half cutter, and the support wall are arranged sequentially.

4. A cutting mechanism for a printing apparatus, characterized in that, have: A cutter having a cutting blade and a blade-bearing member constituting a half-cutter that cuts a portion of the thickness of a printed medium, wherein the blade-bearing member bears a force from the cutting blade while the cutting blade cuts at least a portion of the printed medium, and a stop provided on the cutting blade abuts against the blade-bearing member when cutting a portion of the thickness of the printed medium. A full cutter, having a fixed blade and a movable blade, cuts through the entire thickness of the printed medium; as well as The support member is configured to suppress deformation of the blade-bearing member. The blade bearing member is adjacent to and fixed to the support member. The support member is a support wall provided in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the printed medium. In the direction of conveying the printed medium, the fixed blade of the full cutter, the belt guide for guiding the conveying of the printed medium, the blade bearing member of the half cutter, and the support wall are arranged sequentially.

5. The cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The blade bearing member has a supported portion and a bearing portion, the supported portion being along the side of the bearing member, and the bearing portion being curved relative to the supported portion and located at an edge along the transport path of the bearing member facing the printed medium. The cutting blade abuts against the bearing portion from the side opposite to the edge of the supporting member.

6. The cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, When a portion of the printed medium is cut off by the cutter, the edge of the support member abuts against the bearing portion at two locations, which span the passage area of ​​the printed medium in the width direction.

7. The cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, It has a movable member, which is located on the opposite side of the blade bearing member, across the support member, in the transport direction of the printed medium, and is supported so as to be able to rotate relative to the support member. The cutting blade is supported by the movable member.

Images