Cover assembly for a printer and printer

Abstract

The application provides a cover assembly of a printer and the printer. The cover assembly comprises a cover body, two limiters and a gear. The limiting parts of the two limiters are located outside the cover body and are oppositely arranged in the paper width direction. The gear parts of the limiters are connected with the limiting parts. The limiters are movably installed on the cover body in the paper width direction. The two gear parts are engaged with the gear. The limiters are provided with elastic buckles. The cover body is provided with at least two buckle fitting positions which are arranged at intervals in the paper width direction. The printer comprises a machine body and the cover assembly. The cover assembly is rotationally connected with the machine body. The cover assembly adopts the cover assembly described above. The elastic buckles and the buckle fitting positions are arranged on the limiters and the cover body. The elastic buckles entering the buckle fitting positions can prevent the limiters from continuing to advance and give the user tactile feedback, so that the target paper width position is known. The application makes it easier for the user to adjust the paper width by sliding and pushing the limiters, reduces the operation difficulty and improves the use experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of printer technology, and more specifically to a printer cover assembly and printer that improve the user experience. Background Technology

[0002] Chinese invention patent CN218430606U discloses a paper printer with a limiting component on its cover. This limiting component, in conjunction with different card slots, allows for adjustment of the paper width to accommodate various types of paper. However, adjustment requires disassembling and replacing the card slots and the limiting component, making the adjustment operation difficult.

[0003] Chinese utility model patent CN 215401984U discloses a paper roll sliding baffle for an intelligent label printer. Section 0017 of the specification of CN 215401984U states that "first, the paper roll is placed between the moving plates, and the moving plates are adjusted to the width corresponding to the paper, thus achieving centered symmetrical fixation." It can be seen that the rack and pinion assembly can realize the synchronous sliding of the baffles on both sides and adapt to the width of the paper roll that has been placed in, thereby enabling rapid stepless width adjustment according to the width of various paper roll specifications.

[0004] The goal is to integrate the rack and pinion sliding baffle from a label printer into a paper printer to reduce the difficulty of width adjustment. However, unlike label printers that use paper rolls, paper printers cannot use flexible paper as a base to slide the limiting element to the target paper width. Therefore, although using a rack and pinion sliding baffle for width adjustment avoids disassembly, when this structure is integrated into a paper printer, there is a problem of not being able to accurately reach the target paper width position during the sliding adjustment process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The primary objective of this invention is to provide a printer cover assembly that reduces operational difficulty and enhances the user experience.

[0006] The second objective of this invention is to provide a printer that reduces the difficulty of operation and improves the user experience.

[0007] The first objective of this invention is to provide a printer cover assembly comprising a cover body, two limiting members, and a gear. Each limiting member includes a limiting portion, which is located outside the cover body and is disposed opposite to the other member in the paper width direction. The gear is rotatably connected to the cover body along its axis. Each limiting member also includes a rack portion connected to the limiting portion. The limiting members are movably mounted on the cover body in the paper width direction, and the rack portions of both limiting members mesh with the gear. Each limiting member has a spring-loaded latch, and the cover body has at least two interlocking positions spaced apart in the paper width direction; alternatively, the cover body has a spring-loaded latch, and the limiting members have at least two interlocking positions spaced apart in the paper width direction. The spring-loaded latch engages with the interlocking positions.

[0008] As can be seen from the above solution, by integrating the gear and rack baffle structure into the cover assembly of the paper printer, this invention addresses the difficulty of maintaining a fixed width during the sliding adjustment of the limiting component. It incorporates spring-loaded latches and multiple engaging positions on both the limiting component and the cover. When the user pushes the limiting component to a certain paper width position, the spring-loaded latch engages in the engaging position, generating a force that hinders the limiting component's movement and providing tactile feedback to the user. This allows the user to confirm that the target paper width has been reached and ensures the limiting component remains at its current position. Therefore, adjusting the paper width is easier for the user through the sliding operation of the limiting component, reducing operational difficulty and improving the user experience.

[0009] A further embodiment is that the cover includes a first cover plate and a second cover plate connected along its own thickness direction, with an installation space formed between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, and a sliding communication port provided on the first cover plate; the gear and rack are disposed in the installation space, and the limiting part extends to the outside of the cover through the sliding communication port.

[0010] As can be seen from the above, the exposed gear and rack not only affects the appearance but also leaves the moving parts unprotected, shortening their service life. Therefore, this invention improves the structure of the cover by splitting it into a first cover plate and a second cover plate that are stacked and connected along the thickness direction. The gear and rack mechanism is then housed within the internal mounting space formed between the first and second cover plates. This arrangement conceals the gear and rack mechanism within the cover, protecting it and preventing exposed mechanical structures from affecting the product's appearance.

[0011] A further embodiment is that the limiting component includes a sliding engagement portion connected between the rack portion and the limiting portion, and the sliding engagement portion is located within the installation space; the cover includes a slide groove disposed within the installation space, and the sliding engagement portion and the slide groove slide in a sliding engagement along the paper width direction; at least a portion of the sliding engagement portion is configured as a plate structure, and the thickness direction of the plate structure is consistent with the thickness direction of the cover.

[0012] As can be seen from the above, the requirements for miniaturization and aesthetic design of paper printers necessitate a relatively thin cover. Furthermore, when a rack and pinion sliding baffle is integrated into the cover, it is also necessary to consider how to minimize its impact on the cover's thickness. To address this, the present invention improves the structure of the limiting component by using a plate structure to create a sliding engagement portion. This increases the contact area between the sliding engagement portion and the cover, thus providing more adequate constraint on the sliding engagement portion, preventing swaying, and ensuring straightness of the sliding motion. Moreover, since the thickness direction of the plate structure is consistent with the thickness direction of the cover, it minimizes the impact on the cover's thickness, thereby facilitating miniaturization and meeting aesthetic design requirements.

[0013] A further proposed solution is that the limiting component includes a connecting section. Along the thickness direction of the plate structure, the plate structure, the connecting section, and the limiting part are connected sequentially, with the third direction facing upward. The size of the connecting section is smaller than the size of the plate structure and smaller than the size of the limiting part, with the third direction perpendicular to the paper width direction and perpendicular to the thickness direction of the cover. The connecting section is located in the sliding communication port, and the first cover plate is restricted between the plate structure and the limiting part.

[0014] As can be seen from the above, the degree of freedom of the lower limit component is more effectively restricted, preventing disengagement. Furthermore, when the user pushes the limit part, it can prevent the limit component from twisting, which would cause the rack and gear to disengage.

[0015] A further proposed solution is that the sliding connection includes a wide section and a narrow section arranged sequentially along the paper width direction, with the third side facing upwards, and the size of the wide section being larger than the size of the narrow section; the connecting section is located within the narrow section; and the limiting section can pass through the wide section.

[0016] As can be seen from the above, this design makes the installation of the limiting part that needs to pass through the first cover plate simpler, and after installation, the limiting part and the narrow part cooperate to ensure a tight fit.

[0017] Another further option is that the sliding fit part also includes a strip structure; the plate structure, the strip structure and the rack part are connected in sequence along the paper width direction, with the third part facing upwards, and the size of the plate structure is larger than the size of the strip structure; the slide includes a first slide part and a second slide part, the first slide part slides with the plate structure, and the second slide part slides with the strip structure.

[0018] As can be seen from the above, both rack sections mesh with gears. Therefore, the two rack sections are generally arranged with the gear as the axis of symmetry. Under this arrangement, since the gear and rack action mechanism is close to the edge of the cover and has limited space in the third direction, the rack section cannot be set as a plate like the sliding fit part, but can only be set as a strip. Otherwise, the two limiting parts may interfere with each other when moving. Also, since the printer itself is small in size, the entire limiting part is actually quite slender. In order to ensure that the limiting part moves stably along a straight line and can stably mesh with the gear, in this invention, in addition to the plate structure, the sliding fit part is also set with a smaller strip structure closer to the rack section. The setting of the strip structure can avoid the possible interference between the two limiting parts after they move, and can also save materials. Furthermore, the slide groove is set as a first slide groove and a second slide groove with different widths corresponding to the plate structure and the strip structure. The second slide groove can slide with the strip structure to further ensure the straightness of the rack section movement and ensure the accuracy of the movement process and transmission.

[0019] A further option is to set the spring clip on the strip structure, with the fastening position set on the first cover plate or the second cover plate; the spring clip includes a spring arm and a buckle, the spring arm extends along the paper width direction, and the buckle is connected to the elastic deformation part of the spring arm.

[0020] As can be seen from the above, since the plate structure and the limiting part are set opposite to each other and cooperate with the first cover plate, setting the spring buckle on the strip structure reduces the difficulty of installation; and the spring arm is set along the paper width direction, which will more easily cause the spring buckle to deform when the limiting part is pushed, making it easier to operate.

[0021] A further option is that the cover assembly also includes a tray component, which is retractably positioned within the installation space.

[0022] As can be seen from the above, the tray can increase the support length and prevent the paper from bending downwards or even slipping. More importantly, based on the premise that the cover body includes a first cover plate and a second cover plate connected along its own thickness direction, and an installation space is formed between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, the present invention further utilizes the installation space to accommodate the telescopic tray component, and completes the concealed installation of the tray component without affecting the thickness and appearance of the cover body as much as possible.

[0023] The printer provided by the second objective of this invention includes a body and a cover assembly, the cover assembly being rotatably connected to the body; the cover assembly adopts the cover assembly described above.

[0024] As can be seen from the above solution, after the user pushes the limiting part by hand, once it reaches a certain paper width, the snap-lock engages, generating a force that hinders the movement of the limiting part and providing tactile feedback to the user. This allows the user to know that the target paper width has been reached and keeps the limiting part in its current position. Adjusting the paper width is easier for the user through the sliding and pushing operation of the limiting part, reducing operational difficulty and improving the user experience.

[0025] A further solution is to install a first magnetic component on the cover assembly and a second magnetic component on the body, with the first and second magnetic components engaging with each other.

[0026] As can be seen above, this setting makes flipping the cover easy and improves the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the first state of the printer embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the second state of an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the third state of an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0031] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the cover assembly in an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the first cover plate in an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the limiting member from a first-view perspective in an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the limiting member from a second perspective in an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the first cover plate and the limiting member in the paper width direction in an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the limiting member in the first paper width position in an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the limiting member in the second paper width position in an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of the second cover plate and tray component in an embodiment of the printer of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] See Figures 1 to 3 This embodiment is a paper printer. The printer includes a body 1 and a cover assembly 2 rotatably mounted on the top of the body 1. The cover assembly 2 is a flip-top. When the cover assembly 2 is flipped upwards, the paper inlet 101 on the top of the body 1 is exposed, and paper can be fed into the body 1 through the paper inlet 101 for printing. The cover assembly 2 also serves as a paper support structure. The cover assembly 2 is provided with two limiting members 3 arranged opposite each other along the paper width direction. A paper passage position 300 is formed between the two limiting members 3. The distance between the two limiting members 3 limits the width of the paper that can pass through, and the distance between the two limiting members 3 is adjustable. The limiting members 3 are designed in a bent shape to also limit the paper thickness. In addition, the cover assembly 2 has a distal end away from the body 1, on which a retractable tray 28 is provided. The tray 28 is used to lengthen the cover assembly to ensure a sufficiently long supporting surface to prevent the paper from bending downwards or even slipping off the back of the cover assembly 2.

[0040] The cover assembly 2 is not only equipped with two slidingly adjustable limiting parts 3, but also with a retractable tray part 28, and so on. Figure 1 As shown, under the design requirements of a paper printer, the cover assembly 2 is required to be thin-walled and its outer surface is as flat as possible. To this end, the present invention solves the sliding paper width adjustment design of the limiting member 3 while maintaining the thin-walled design and flat surface design of the cover assembly 2.

[0041] A unified spatial rectangular coordinate system is established in each of the accompanying drawings. In the coordinate system, the x-axis direction represents the paper width direction of the present invention, the y-axis direction represents the third direction of the present invention, and the z-axis direction represents the thickness direction of the cover body and the thickness direction of the sliding mating part of the present invention.

[0042] See Figure 2 and Figure 5 The cover assembly 2 includes a cover body 20, two limiting members 3, a gear 4, a tray member 28, and two first magnetic suction members 29. Firstly, the cover body 20 includes a first cover plate 21 and a second cover plate 22. The first cover plate 21 and the second cover plate 22 are stacked and interlocked along the thickness direction of the cover body 20 to form the cover body 20, and an installation space 200 is formed between the first cover plate 21 and the second cover plate 22 within the cover body 20. See also... Figure 5 In this embodiment, both the first cover plate 21 and the second cover plate 22 cover the cover body 20, that is, both the first cover plate 21 and the second cover plate 22 extend between the length sides and the width sides of the cover body 20. This arrangement makes the installation space 200 formed between the first cover plate 21 and the second cover plate 22 sufficiently large. Figure 5 As shown, the two limiting members 3, the gear 4, the tray member 28, and the two first magnetic suction members 29 are all disposed within the installation space 200. In addition, the arrangement in which the first cover plate 21 and the second cover plate 22 both cover the cover body 20 also takes into account the appearance requirements of the printer. This arrangement ensures that the opposite sides of the cover body 20 have relatively complete and flat surfaces.

[0043] This invention utilizes a gear and rack mechanism to achieve adjustable sliding of the limiting component 3. (See also...) Figures 5 to 7 Gear 4 is rotatably connected to the first cover plate 21 along its axis. The axis of rotation of gear 4 extends along the thickness direction of cover body 20, and gear 4 is located at the center position in the paper width direction. The limiting member 3 includes a rack portion 31, a sliding engagement portion 32, and a limiting portion 33 connected in sequence. The first cover plate 21 includes a rib group 214 protruding from its inner surface, and a sliding groove 210 is formed between the rib groups 214 along the paper width direction. The two limiting members 3 are symmetrically arranged in the installation space 200 with gear 4 as the central axis, and the sliding engagement portions 32 of the two limiting members 3 are respectively located in the two sliding grooves 210. Both rack portions 33 mesh with gear 4. (Further details omitted) Figure 4 The first cover plate 21 is provided with a sliding communication port 211; the gear 4, the rack part 31, and the sliding engagement part 32 are arranged in the installation space 200, and the limiting part 33 extends to the outside of the cover body 20 through the sliding communication port 211. With this arrangement, after the user moves the limiting part 33 by hand, the two limiting parts 3 can slide synchronously in the direction of approaching or moving away from each other, so as to realize the paper width adjustment while ensuring that the paper between the two limiting parts 33 is always centered. Preferably, the gear 4 is a damping gear.

[0044] To provide a better user experience, and further, to enable users to perceive the arrival at the target paper width position during the sliding adjustment of the limiting member 3, the present invention has made corresponding improvements. First, see... Figure 3 and Figure 4 The outer surface of the first cover plate 21 is provided with multiple paper width scale symbols 219, which correspond to various paper widths such as A5, B5, B5W, A4, and LTR. When the printer is in [position missing], [the following text is incomplete and likely refers to a different printer setting]. Figure 2 or Figure 3 In the usage state shown, the outer surface of the first cover plate 21 faces the user, and multiple paper width scale symbols 219 can be clearly seen.

[0045] Then, see Figures 6 to 8 A spring-loaded latch 35 is provided on the sliding mating part 32. The spring-loaded latch 35 includes a spring arm 351 and a latch 352. The spring arm 351 extends along the paper width direction, and the latch 352 is connected to the elastic deformation part of the spring arm 351 and protrudes along the thickness direction of the sliding mating part 32. Multiple recessed engagement positions 212 are provided on the inner side of the first cover plate 21 facing the installation space 200. The multiple recessed engagement positions 212 are spaced apart along the paper width direction, and the interval between the multiple recessed engagement positions 212 is consistent with the interval between the scale lines of the multiple paper width scale symbols 219. When the limiting member 3 is installed, the protruding latch 352 on the spring-loaded latch 35 can be engaged into the engagement position 212. Combined with... Figure 10 and Figure 11 Because both the outer surface of the latch 352 and the inner surface of the engagement position 212 are arc-shaped, when the user pushes the limiting member 3 and moves it along the paper width direction, the spring arm 351 will be forced to swing and the latch 352 will disengage from the engagement position 212. This continues until the latch 352 enters the next engagement position 212, at which point the limiting part 33 will be aligned with the next paper width scale symbol 219. Furthermore, when the latch 352 re-enters the engagement position 212, the vibration of the spring 35 and the vibration generated by its collision with the first cover plate 21 will be transmitted to the user's hand, and the user will hear the sound produced by the vibration. Therefore, the user can determine that the limiting member 3 has reached the target paper width position by sight, hearing, or touch. Thus, this design not only ensures that the limiting member 3 accurately reaches the target paper width position, but also simplifies user operation, allowing for easy judgment of reaching the target paper width position and improving the user experience.

[0046] See Figure 7 and Figure 8The sliding engagement portion 32 includes a plate structure 321 and a strip structure 322, which are sequentially connected along the paper width direction. Both the strip structure 322 and the rack portion 31 extend along the paper width direction, with the rack portion 31 continuing from the extended end of the strip structure 322. In the third direction represented by the y-axis, the size of the plate structure 321 is larger than that of the strip structure 322, giving the plate structure 321 a larger surface area compared to the strip structure 322 and the rack portion 31. Additionally, a spring-loaded latch 35 is provided on the strip structure 322. Correspondingly, the sliding groove 210 on the first cover plate 21 includes a first sliding groove portion 2101 and a second sliding groove portion 2102. The first sliding groove portion 2101 slides with the plate structure 321, and the second sliding groove portion 2102 slides with the strip structure 322.

[0047] See Figure 4 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 The limiting part 33 includes a width limiting part 331 and a thickness limiting part 332 that are bent and connected. The width limiting part 331 extends perpendicular to the paper width direction and can limit the paper in the paper width direction. The thickness limiting part 332 bends out from the end of the width limiting part 331 away from the sliding mating part 32. There is a certain gap between the thickness limiting part 332 and the sliding mating part 32. The stacked papers will be located in the gap. Therefore, the size of the gap limits the thickness of the stacked multiple sheets of paper.

[0048] In addition, the sliding fit part 32 also includes a connecting section 34. Along the thickness direction of the plate structure 321, the plate structure 321, the connecting section 34, and the width limiting part 331 are connected sequentially. In fact, the connecting section 34 and the width limiting part 331 are different parts on the same wall. In the third direction represented by the y-axis, the size of the connecting section 34 is smaller than the size of the plate structure 321 and smaller than the size of the width limiting part 331. This arrangement creates a fitting space 340 between the plate structure 321 and the width limiting part 331, and on both sides of the connecting section 34. Figure 9 When the connecting section 34 is located in the narrow portion 2111 of the sliding communication port 211, the first cover plate 21 is confined in the mating space 340 between the plate structure 321 and the limiting portion 33. In addition, to improve structural strength, a reinforcing rib 333 connects the mutually perpendicular connecting section 34 and the plate structure 321.

[0049] Combined Figure 6The sliding connection port 211 includes a wide portion 2112 and a narrow portion 2111 arranged sequentially along the paper width direction. In the third direction indicated by the y-axis, the size of the wide portion 2112 is larger than the size of the narrow portion 2111. When the cover assembly is in normal use, the connecting section 34 is located in the narrow portion 2111. At this time, the first cover plate 21 is confined between the plate structure 321 and the limiting part 33, and the limiting part 33 cannot pass through the sliding connection port 211. However, when the limiting member 3 is slid and the connecting section 34 reaches the wide portion 2112, the first cover plate 21 is no longer between the plate structure 321 and the limiting part 33. Furthermore, since the inner periphery of the wide portion 2112 is larger than the outer periphery of the limiting part 33, the limiting part 33 can pass through the wide portion 2112. Based on this, the limiting member 3 can be installed and removed.

[0050] On the other hand, after the limiting member 3 is embedded inside the cover 20, while meeting the design requirement of a relatively thin cover 20, the limiting member 3 embedded inside the cover 20 also has a relatively thin thickness. Furthermore, given the requirement for a large range of width adjustments and the limitation imposed on one side of the cover 20, the limiting member 3 actually needs to be designed as a slender component. Moreover, the limiting member 3 is mostly made of plastic, and its slenderness and thinness can cause insufficient structural strength, leading to deformation and subsequently transmission failure.

[0051] To address this, the present invention makes corresponding improvements. First, the end of the sliding mating part 32 furthest from the gear 4 is configured as a plate structure 321 with a larger area. (Comparison) Figure 10 and Figure 11 Because the plate structure 321 is far from the gear 4, even if the plate structure 321 has a large area, it will not interfere with the other limiting member 3. The sliding fit part 32 is provided on the plate structure 321 to increase the mating area between the sliding fit part 32 and the cover 20, thus allowing the sliding fit part 32 to be more fully restricted and preventing the limiting member 3 from swaying; further combined with... Figure 9 Furthermore, since the thickness direction of the plate structure 321 is consistent with the thickness direction of the cover 20, the impact on the thickness of the cover 20 can be minimized.

[0052] Furthermore, a smaller strip structure 322 is provided closer to the rack portion 31. The strip structure 322 can avoid interference between the two limiting members 3 before and after movement. The slide groove 210 is configured as a first slide groove 2101 and a second slide groove 2102 with different widths corresponding to the plate structure 321 and the strip structure 322. The second slide groove 2102 can slide with the strip structure 322, preventing the strip structure 322 from bending and deforming, further ensuring the straightness of the movement of the rack portion 31, and ensuring the accuracy of the movement process and transmission.

[0053] Additionally, see Figure 10Even when the limiting member 3 is at its furthest point from the gear 4 at its maximum paper width, the rack portion 31 remains engaged with the gear 4. Therefore, the rack portion 31 is always engaged with the gear 4 to prevent transmission failure.

[0054] See Figure 12 and combined Figure 5 A pallet compartment 220 is provided on the inner side of the second cover plate 22 facing the installation space 200. The pallet compartment 220 is formed by U-shaped ribs 221. The opening direction of the pallet compartment 220 is in the third direction. In the paper width direction, the ribs 221 are provided with slots 222 on both the left and right sides of the pallet compartment 220, and each rib is provided with two slots 222 spaced apart along the third direction. The pallet component 28 is provided with elastic beams 281 on both sides in the paper width direction, and the extension of the elastic beams 281 is provided with a locking protrusion 282. The pallet component 28 is placed in the pallet compartment 220, and the pallet component 28 can move between the retracted position and the extended position along the third direction.

[0055] Figure 12 and Figure 2 When the pallet component 28 shown is in the retracted position, most of the pallet component 28 is stored in the pallet compartment 220, and only its pulling part is exposed outside the cover 20. At this time, the latch 282 is engaged with the latch 222 away from the opening of the pallet compartment 220. Figure 3 The tray component 28 shown is in the extended position, with most of it extending beyond the cover 20. At this time, the latching protrusion 282 engages with another latch 222 near the opening of the tray compartment 220. The rib 221 guides the tray component 28, ensuring smooth linear movement of the tray component 28 along a third direction. The cooperation between the latching protrusion 282 and the latch 222 enables the tray component 28 to maintain its position and sense when it has extended or retracted.

[0056] Additionally, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 The outer surface of the first cover plate 21 is also provided with a plurality of approximately triangular protrusions 218. These protrusions 218 are positioned between the limiting member 3 and the paper inlet 101, and are spaced apart along the paper width direction. The curved slopes of the protrusions 218 face the paper passage position 300. With this configuration, the paper in the paper passage position 300 can enter the paper inlet 101 more smoothly under the guidance of the slopes of the protrusions 218, avoiding paper jams.

[0057] Additionally, see Figure 1 The body 19 is provided with two second magnetic attractors 19. When the cover assembly 2 is in the closed state, the two second magnetic attractors 19 are attracted to the first magnetic attractors 29 on the two cover assemblies 2 respectively. In this embodiment, both the first magnetic attractor 29 and the second magnetic attractor 19 are magnets.

[0058] In other embodiments, the snap fastener is disposed on the cover and multiple fastening positions are disposed on the limiting member.

[0059] In other embodiments, the limiting element and gear are located entirely outside the cover.

[0060] In other embodiments, only one of the first and second cover plates covers the entire area of ​​the cover body, while the other only covers a portion of the cover body. However, under this arrangement, the tray component cannot be installed within the installation space.

[0061] In other embodiments, the sliding mating part does not include a plate structure and is generally elongated.

[0062] Finally, it should be emphasized that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various changes and modifications. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cover assembly for a printer, comprising a cover body and two limiting members, each limiting member including a limiting portion, the two limiting portions being located outside the cover body and disposed opposite to each other in the paper width direction; Its features are: It also includes a gear, which is rotatably connected to the cover along an axis; The limiting member further includes a rack portion, which is connected to the limiting portion. The limiting member is movably mounted on the cover body along the paper width direction, and the rack portions of both limiting members mesh with the gear. The limiting member is provided with a spring buckle, and the cover is provided with at least two fastening positions spaced apart along the paper width direction; or, the cover is provided with a spring buckle, and the limiting member is provided with at least two fastening positions spaced apart along the paper width direction. The spring-loaded buckle engages with the fastening position; The cover is provided with a sliding groove, and the limiting member includes a sliding engagement part; the sliding engagement part includes a plate structure and a strip structure, and the plate structure, the strip structure and the toothed part are connected in sequence along the paper width direction; The slide groove includes a first slide groove portion and a second slide groove portion, the first slide groove portion being slidably engaged with the plate structure, and the second slide groove portion being slidably engaged with the strip structure; In the third direction, the size of the plate structure is larger than the size of the strip structure, and the third direction is perpendicular to the paper width direction and perpendicular to the thickness direction of the cover. The cover is provided with a sliding communication port. The rack portion and the sliding engagement portion of the limiting member are disposed in the mounting space inside the cover in a concealed manner. The limiting portion extends to the outside of the cover through the sliding communication port.

2. The printer cover assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cover includes a first cover plate and a second cover plate connected along its own thickness direction, and the installation space is formed between the first cover plate and the second cover plate. The first cover plate is provided with the sliding communication port.

3. The printer cover assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The limiting member includes a sliding engagement portion, which is connected between the rack portion and the limiting portion, and the sliding engagement portion is located within the mounting space; The cover includes the slide groove disposed in the installation space, and the sliding engagement part slides with the slide groove along the paper width direction; At least a portion of the sliding mating part is configured as a plate structure, and the thickness direction of the plate structure is consistent with the thickness direction of the cover.

4. The printer cover assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: The limiting member includes a connecting segment. Along the thickness direction of the plate structure, the plate structure, the connecting segment, and the limiting part are connected sequentially, with the third part facing upwards. The size of the connecting segment is smaller than the size of the plate structure and smaller than the size of the limiting part. The connecting section is located in the sliding communication port, and the first cover plate is restricted between the plate structure and the limiting part.

5. The printer cover assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sliding communication port includes a wide portion and a narrow portion arranged sequentially along the paper width direction, with the third side facing upwards, and the size of the wide portion is larger than the size of the narrow portion; The connecting segment is located within the narrow section; The limiting portion can pass through the wide portion.

6. The printer cover assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The snap fastener is disposed on the strip structure, and the fastening position is disposed on the first cover plate or the second cover plate; The spring clip includes a spring arm and a latch, the spring arm extends along the width of the paper, and the latch is connected to the elastic deformation part of the spring arm.

7. The printer cover assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The cover assembly also includes a tray that is retractably disposed within the mounting space.

8. A printer, comprising a body and a cover assembly, the cover assembly being rotatably connected to the body; Its features are: The cover assembly is the cover assembly described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The printer according to claim 8, characterized in that: The cover assembly is provided with a first magnetic component, and the body is provided with a second magnetic component, wherein the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component are attracted to each other.

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