Printer

Abstract

A printer of an embodiment has a paper feed cassette, a print head, a platen roller, an inner side frame, a turning frame, an outer side frame, and a cover. The paper feed cassette has a loading port that accepts a roll of a long, thin print medium. The print head prints an image on the print medium pulled out from the roll. The platen roller presses the print medium between the print head and applies a transport force in a direction in which the print medium is pulled out from the roll by rotation. The inner side frame has one of the print head and the platen roller and the paper feed cassette. The turning frame is provided so as to be able to turn with respect to the inner side frame about a first turning shaft provided at an edge of the loading port, and has the other of the print head and the platen roller at a front end of the turning and presses the print head and the platen roller in a state of being fixed to the inner side frame. The outer side frame accommodates the inner side frame and has an opening through which the roll can be inserted so as to overlap the loading port. The cover is provided so as to be able to turn with respect to the outer side frame about a second turning shaft provided at an edge of the opening between a closed position in which the opening is covered and an open position in which the opening is opened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments described herein generally relate to a printer that prints images on a strip of printing media pulled from a roller. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, there existed printers that included: a paper tray for feeding a roller wound with a strip of printing media; a cover for opening and closing the opening of the paper tray; a printhead for printing images onto the printing media pulled out from the roller; and a pressure roller that was opposite the printhead and applied a conveying force to the printing media.

[0003] This type of printer requires the print head and pressure roller to be configured in a way that clamps the printing media being pulled out of the rollers, so the pressure roller is installed on the cover, for example.

[0004] In conventional printers, when an external impact is applied due to a drop, the paper roller collides with the inside of the cover, causing stress in the direction that opens the cover.

[0005] If stress is applied to the cover due to an external impact, there is a possibility that the pressure roller installed on the cover may detach from the cover, rendering the printer unusable. Attached Figure Description

[0006] The general architecture for implementing various features of the embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings and related descriptions are provided to illustrate these embodiments and not to limit the scope of the invention.

[0007] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the printer as shown in the embodiment.

[0008] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A 3D view of the printer's outer frame.

[0009] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 A 3D view of the inner frame of the printer.

[0010] Figure 4 This indicates that it is configured in Figure 1 A diagram showing the layout of the buffer components for the gap between the outer and inner frames of the printer.

[0011] Figure 5 It means Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the internal structure of a printer.

[0012] Figure 6 It is an enlarged representation Figure 5 Enlarged view of the printer's thermal head and pressure roller.

[0013] Figure 7It means Figure 6 A three-dimensional view of the thermal head and support frame.

[0014] Figure 8 It means Figure 7 Side view of the positioning plate of the support frame.

[0015] Figure 9 It means Figure 7 A partial perspective view of the installation state of the compression helical spring of the support frame.

[0016] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the rotating frame of the inner frame and the cover of the outer frame are locked in the closed position.

[0017] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the state where the rotating frame of the inner frame and the cover of the outer frame are unlocked. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The printer of this embodiment includes a paper tray, a printhead, a pressure roller, an inner frame, a rotating frame, an outer frame, and a cover. The paper tray has an inlet for receiving a roller wound with elongated printing media. The printhead prints an image onto the printing media pulled from the roller. The pressure roller presses the printing media between itself and the printhead, and by rotating, applies a conveying force in the direction that pulls the printing media out of the roller. The inner frame houses one of the printhead and the pressure roller, and the paper tray. The rotating frame is configured to rotate relative to the inner frame about a first rotation axis located at the edge of the inlet, with the printhead and the pressure roller located at its rotating front end, and presses the printhead and the pressure roller while fixed to the inner frame. The outer frame houses the inner frame and has an opening through which a roller overlapping the inlet can be inserted. The cover is configured to rotate relative to the outer frame about a second rotation axis located at the edge of the opening between a closed position covering the opening and an open position opening the opening.

[0019] Hereinafter, a printer 100 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] In the diagrams, arrow X indicates the direction from the rear of printer 100 towards the front, arrow Y indicates the direction from left to right when viewing printer 100 from the front, and arrow Z indicates the direction from bottom to top. In the following description, the directions of front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-down are defined by viewing printer 100 from the front.

[0021] like Figure 1 As shown, the printer 100 has a generally rectangular box-shaped outer frame 10. (As...) Figure 2 As shown, the outer frame 10 has a generally rectangular opening 11 on its upper surface. The opening 11 has a roller R that can receive printing media. Figure 3 The shape and size of the through-hole are to be inserted. The outer frame 10 has a cover 12. The cover 12 is mounted to the outer frame 10 via a hinge and can be in the closed position covering the opening 11. Figure 1 ) and the opening position of opening 11 ( Figure 2 The cover 12 rotates between the two sides. The rotation axis 13 (second rotation axis) of the cover 12 extends in the Y direction and is located near the rear end edge of the opening 11.

[0022] The outer frame 10 has a closing cover 12 Figure 1 In the shown state, the printing medium with the printed image is discharged from the outlet 14 on the front side of the rotating cover 12. The outer frame 10 has a through hole 16, into which the operating member 52 of the locking lever 50 (described later) can be movably inserted. The outer frame 10 is equipped with various operating buttons (not shown) and lights that serve as an interface with the user. In addition, the outer frame 10 is equipped with a cover (not shown) for inserting and removing the battery 4.

[0023] The printer 100 has a housing that can be accommodated in the outer frame 10. Figure 3 The inner frame 20 is shown. The printer 100 has a double-layered frame structure, allowing the cover 12 to be closed while the inner frame 20 is housed within the outer frame 10. (See attached image.) Figure 3 As shown, the inner frame 20 holds approximately all the constituent elements of the printer 100.

[0024] like Figure 4 As shown, with the inner frame 20 housed within the outer frame 10, a gap S exists between the outer frame 10 and the inner frame 20. The printer 100 includes multiple buffer members 30 within this gap S. These buffer members 30 are configured to contact, for example, the edge of the inner frame 20 and the inner surface of the outer frame 10. By providing multiple buffer members 30 within the gap S between the outer frame 10 and the inner frame 20, the inner frame 20 can be mounted to the outer frame 10 in a floating state. Therefore, for example, even if a strong impact is applied from the outside when the printer 100 is dropped, the impact transmitted to the inner frame 20 can be reduced.

[0025] like Figure 3 As shown, the inner frame 20 has a paper feed tray 21 for receiving a roller R that winds a strip of printing media into a roll shape. The paper feed tray 21 has a generally rectangular inlet 22 on its upper surface for inserting the roller R. The inner frame 20 is housed within the outer frame 10. Figure 1 In the state shown, the inlet 22 of the inner frame 20 is positioned below the opening 11 of the outer frame 10.

[0026] The inner frame 20 has a rotating frame 23. The rotating frame 23 is hinged to the inner frame 20 and can be in a closed position overlapping the edge of the inlet 22 and in an open position that opens the inlet 22. Figure 3 The rotating frame 23 rotates between the two. The rotation axis 24 (first rotation axis) of the rotating frame 23 extends along the Y direction and is located near the rear end edge of the inlet 22.

[0027] The inner frame 20 is housed within the outer frame 10. Figure 1 In the shown state, the rotation axis 24 of the rotating frame 23 is coaxially arranged with the rotation axis 13 of the cover 12 of the outer frame 10. When the rotating frame 23 is rotated to the open position with the cover 12 of the outer frame 10 in the open position, it protrudes outward through the opening 11 of the outer frame 10.

[0028] The cover 12 and the rotating frame 23 include the rotation axes 13 and 24 throughout their entire range of rotation and remain in a non-contact state. Alternatively, the cover 12 and the rotating frame 23 may be in a non-contact state when at least both are configured in the closed position. The rotating frame 23 of the inner frame 20 and the cover 12 of the outer frame 10 have the aforementioned common center of rotation and can rotate as a single cover in a non-contact state.

[0029] The rotating frame 23 has a generally rectangular window opening 25. The window opening 25 is used to fix the rotating frame 23 to the inner frame 20, which is housed within the outer frame 10, and to position the cover 12 in the closed position. Figure 1 In the shown state, the inner surface 15 of the cover 12 is connected to the inlet 22 of the paper feed tray 21 through a hole. By providing the window 25 in the rotating frame 23 in this way, when the roller R moves erratically within the paper feed tray 21 and moves upward, it is possible to suppress undesirable contact between the roller R and the rotating frame 23. That is, the rotating frame 23 has a structure that makes it difficult for external impacts and internal stresses from the printer 100 to act.

[0030] The roller R that feeds the paper tray 21 is a component that winds a strip of printing media into a roller shape. The printing media is, for example, a medium formed by applying ink that is developed by heating to the printing surface of a strip of backing paper, and is wound with the printing surface facing inward. The roller R rotates within the paper tray 21 by pulling out the printing media.

[0031] like Figure 5As shown, the printer 100 includes a thermal head 1 (print head), a pressure roller 2, a drive motor 3, a battery 4, and circuit boards 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the inner frame 20 of the printer 100 holds the thermal head 1, the drive motor 3, the battery 4, and the circuit boards 5 and 6. A rotating frame 23, rotatably mounted relative to the inner frame 20, rotatably holds the pressure roller 2 near the rotating end of the rotating frame 23. The rotating frame 23 supports the rotation axis of the pressure roller 2 with clearance. Furthermore, this invention can also be applied to printers in which the pressure roller 2 is mounted in the inner frame 20 and the thermal head 1 is mounted in the rotating frame 23.

[0032] With the printing medium pulled out from the roller R fed into the paper tray 21, the rotating frame 23 is rotated to the closed position and fixed to the inner frame 20. As a result, the pressure roller 2, located on the rotating frame 23, is pressed against the thermal head 1 located on the inner frame 20, and the printing medium is clamped between the pressure roller 2 and the thermal head 1. Furthermore, when the rotating frame 23 is fixed in the closed position, the gear 7 (…) on the rotation shaft of the pressure roller 2… Figure 3 ) and the gear 8 on the downstream side of the gear train connected to the rotating shaft of the drive motor 3 located on the inner frame 20. Figure 3 When engaged, the driving force can be transmitted relative to the pressure roller 2. Therefore, in this state, by applying force to the drive motor 3 to rotate the pressure roller 2, a conveying force can be applied from the pressure roller 2 to the printing medium, and the printing medium can be pulled out and conveyed from the roller R.

[0033] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the thermal head 1 has an elongated rectangular ceramic substrate 31 extending in the Y direction in an orientation substantially parallel to the YZ plane. A plurality of heating elements 32 and a driver IC mold 33 are provided on the surface 311 of the ceramic substrate 31 opposite to the pressure roller 2 of the rotating frame 23 fixed in the closed position. In addition, the thermal head 1 also has a heat sink 35 fixed in surface contact with the FPC 34 connected to the driver IC and the back surface 312 of the ceramic substrate 31.

[0034] Multiple heating elements 32 are arranged along the Y direction and mounted on surface 311 near one end (top of the figure) of the ceramic substrate 31 in the short side direction. A thermal head 1 is positioned at the contact point between the multiple heating elements 32 and the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller 2. The FPC 34 can deform to follow the movement of the thermal head 1. The heat sink 35 has two protrusions 351 that extend beyond the ceramic substrate 31 and protrude integrally from both ends in opposite directions in the Y direction (in... Figure 7 (Only one side is shown in the figure). The two protrusions 351 of the heat sink 35 are respectively fixedly provided with a generally cylindrical slider 36 having a center extending along the Y direction.

[0035] like Figure 7 As shown, the printer 100 has a support frame 40 that holds the thermal head 1 in a movable manner relative to the inner frame 20. The support frame 40 cooperates with the locking lever 50 described later to function as a locking mechanism that fixes the rotating frame 23 of the inner frame 20 in the closed position and the cover 12 of the outer frame 10 in the closed position.

[0036] The support frame 40 integrally comprises two positioning plates 41 and 42 disposed at both ends along the length of the thermal head 1, and a connecting plate 43 connecting and fixing the two positioning plates 41 and 42. The two positioning plates 41 and 42 are identical in shape and are disposed parallel to the XZ plane. The connecting plate 43 extends along the Y direction. The connecting plate 43 has a protrusion 431 protruding from the right end in the Y direction. Since the two positioning plates 41 and 42 are identical in shape, the description here will focus on the right positioning plate 42, and the detailed description of the left positioning plate 41 will be omitted.

[0037] like Figure 8 As shown, the positioning plate 42 has a through-hole 422 for inserting a rotating shaft 421 disposed in the inner frame 20. The rotating shaft 421 of the inner frame 20 extends along the Y direction. The positioning plate 42 is mounted relative to the inner frame 20 in a manner that allows it to rotate along the XZ plane. The positioning plate 41 on the left side is mounted rotatably relative to the rotating shaft 411 disposed coaxially with the rotating shaft 421 in the inner frame 20. Thus, the support frame 40 is mounted rotatably relative to the inner frame 20 with the rotating shafts 411 and 421 as the center.

[0038] The positioning plate 42 has a generally elongated oval slot 423, which is longer in the front-rear direction, at a position where it separates from the shaft hole 422, which serves as the center of rotation, along the Z direction. The slot 423 extends along the rotation direction of the positioning plate 42. The slot 423 receives the slider 36 of the protrusion 351 fixedly mounted on the right side of the heat sink 35 of the thermal head 1 in a manner that allows it to slide in the front-rear direction. The positioning plate 41 on the left side has a slot 413 that receives the slider 36 of the protrusion 351 fixedly mounted on the left side of the heat sink 35 in a manner that allows it to slide in the front-rear direction. The thermal head 1 is mounted so that it can move slightly relative to the support frame 40 along the slots 413 and 423.

[0039] like Figure 9 As shown, the support frame 40 includes two compression coil springs 44. The two compression coil springs 44 are located separately from each other in the Y direction. The two compression coil springs 44 are mounted in a slightly compressed state between the heat sink 35 of the thermal head 1 and the connecting plate 43 of the support frame 40. The two compression coil springs 44 serve as force-applying components, generating a restoring force relative to the support frame 40 to push the thermal head 1 toward the rear of the pressure roller 2.

[0040] like Figure 8 As shown, the positioning plate 42 has slits 424 arranged along the X direction (rear) of the slot 423 at a position separated from the shaft hole 422 along the Z direction. The slits 424 have a shape that cuts the rear end edge of the positioning plate 42 into a generally U-shape along the X direction. The width of the slits 424 is slightly larger than the diameter of the bearing 45 provided on the rotating shaft of the pressure roller 2. When the positioning plate 42 is rotated to... Figure 8 In the locked position shown, the cut 424 is positioned at a location that can receive and position the bearing 45 of the pressure roller 2.

[0041] That is, with the positioning plate 42 in the locked position, the movement of the sliding member 36 in the Z direction is restricted by the slot 423, and the movement of the pressure roller 2 in the Z direction is restricted by the cutout 424. Therefore, the opposing positions of the thermal head 1 and the pressure roller 2 in the Z direction are determined with high precision by the positioning plate 42 as a single component. As described above, the pressure roller 2 is mounted with clearance relative to the rotating frame 23, and the support frame 40, which is rotatably mounted on the inner frame 20, supports the thermal head 1 so that it can move toward the pressure roller 2. Therefore, the plurality of heating elements 32 of the thermal head 1 can be precisely aligned and pressed relative to the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller 2 in the Z direction.

[0042] like Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the printer 100 has a locking bar 50 for moving the support frame 40 between a fixed position and a fixed release position. In this embodiment, one locking bar 50 is overlapped and arranged on the outside of the positioning plate 42 on the right side of the support frame 40, but it can also be arranged on the outside of the positioning plate 41 on the left side, or the locking bars 50 can be provided on both the left and right sides of the support frame 40.

[0043] The locking lever 50 has a circular shaft hole 51 extending in the Y direction near its lower end in the Z direction. The inner frame 20 has a rotating shaft 26 extending in the Y direction that is inserted into the shaft hole 51 of the locking lever 50. The locking lever 50 is rotatably mounted about the rotating shaft 26 and parallel to the XZ plane relative to the inner frame 20.

[0044] An operating member 52 protrudes from the upper end of the locking lever 50, which separates from the shaft hole 51 in the Z direction. The operating member 52 extends in the Y direction from the right side 53 of the locking lever 50 opposite to the outer frame 10, and protrudes outward from the outer frame 10 through the through hole 16. Therefore, the operating member 52 can be operated from the outside of the outer frame 10.

[0045] The locking lever 50 has an insertion through hole 54 between the shaft hole 51 and the operating member 52. The insertion through hole 54 is a hole that receives and engages with the protrusion 431 protruding from the right end of the connecting plate 43 in the Y direction of the thermal head 1. When the locking lever 50 is rotated about the rotation shaft 26, the protrusion 431 inserted into the insertion through hole 54 is also pressed and moved by the edge of the insertion through hole 54, and the support frame 40 supporting the thermal head 1 is linked with the locking lever 50 and swings about the rotation shaft 421.

[0046] The locking lever 50 has an integral locking pawl 55 at its rotating front end. The locking pawl 55 protrudes rearward in the X direction toward the rotating front end of the cover 12 of the outer frame 10, which is positioned in the closed position. The rotating front end of the cover 12 has an engagement hole 121 that engages with the locking pawl 55 of the locking lever 50 when the cover 12 is positioned in the closed position.

[0047] With the cover 12 of the outer frame 10 fixed in the closed position, from Figure 11 The state shown indicates that the cover 12 is pressed down from above to the closed position, and the operating member 52 located in the through hole 16 of the outer frame 10 is operated as follows: Figure 10 The locking lever 50 is rotated clockwise as shown in the figure. As a result, the locking claw 55 of the locking lever 50 engages with the engagement hole 121 of the cover 12, and the cover 12 is fixed in the closed position.

[0048] At this time, simultaneously, the rotating frame 23 of the inner frame 20 is fixed in the closed position, and the pressure roller 2 is pressed onto the thermal head 1 and positioned. That is, with the cover 12 in the closed position, when the locking lever 50... Figure 11 Rotate the position to Figure 10 When the paper pressure roller 2 is in position, the support frame 40 also rotates in conjunction, and the bearing 45 of the paper pressure roller 2 is fitted into the cuts 414 and 424 of the left and right positioning plates 41 and 42, so that the paper pressure roller 2 and the thermal head 1 are positioned.

[0049] On the other hand, when the cover 12 of the outer frame 10 is released from its fixed position, the locking lever 50 is released from its fixed position. Figure 10 Rotate the position counterclockwise to Figure 11 The locking claw 55 is released from engagement with the engagement hole 121 by rotating the locking rod 50. At this time, the support frame 40 of the thermal head 1 also rotates counterclockwise by rotating the locking rod 50. The bearing 45 based on the cuts 414 and 424 disengages, and the fixing of the rotating frame 23 is released.

[0050] That is, according to this embodiment, the cover 12 can be fixed in the closed position and the rotating frame 23 can be fixed in the closed position simply by rotating the locking lever 50 clockwise with the cover 12 in the closed position. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rotating frame 23 can be released from its fixed position simultaneously by rotating the locking lever 50 in the opposite direction.

[0051] As described above, according to this embodiment, by providing a dual-structure housing for the printer 100, it is difficult for external impacts to be transmitted to the inner frame 20. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rotating frame 23 of the inner frame 20, on which the pressure roller 2 is mounted, and the cover 12 of the outer frame 10 are arranged in a non-contact state, and a window 25 is provided on the rotating frame 23, making it difficult for impacts to be transmitted to the rotating frame 23. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the pressure roller 2 from detaching from the rotating frame 23. Therefore, even when subjected to strong impacts such as drops from the outside, the printer 100 of this embodiment will not produce printing defects caused by impacts, and can achieve high-quality printing over a long period.

[0052] While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In fact, the novel embodiments described herein can be implemented in many other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made to the forms of the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention. The appended claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications that fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A printer, characterized in that, have: Paper tray, which has an inlet for receiving a roller wound with a long strip of printing media; A printhead that prints an image on the printing medium pulled out from the roller; A pressure roller presses the printing medium between itself and the print head, and applies a conveying force in the direction of pulling the printing medium out of the roller by rotation; The inner frame includes one of the print head and the paper pressure roller, as well as the paper feed box; A rotating frame is configured to rotate relative to the inner frame about a first rotating axis located at the edge of the feed port. The front end of the rotating frame has the other of the print head and the pressure roller. The print head and the pressure roller are pressed while the frame is fixed to the inner frame. An outer frame that houses the inner frame has an opening through which the roller, which overlaps with the inlet, can be inserted. The cover is rotatably disposed relative to the outer frame with respect to a second rotation axis located at the edge of the opening, between the closed position covering the opening and the open position opening the opening.

2. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, With the inner frame housed within the outer frame, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are coaxially configured.

3. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating frame has a window that allows the inner surface of the cover, positioned in the closed position, to communicate with the inlet of the paper feed box when the rotating frame is fixed to the inner frame.

4. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, There is a gap between the outer frame and the inner frame.

5. The printer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The printer has multiple buffer components configured in the gap to keep the inner frame floating relative to the outer frame.

6. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, With the inner frame housed within the outer frame and the cover fixed in the closed position, the rotating frame and the cover are configured in a non-contact state.

7. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, It has a locking mechanism that, when the inner frame is housed within the outer frame, fixes the rotating frame in the position where the pressure roller is pressed against the print head, and fixes the cover in the closed position.

8. The printer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The locking mechanism has a support frame that supports the print head and has a cutout that engages with the bearing of the pressure roller when the heating element of the print head is pressed against the pressure roller.

9. The printer according to claim 8, characterized in that, The locking mechanism has a locking lever that moves the support frame to a fixed position that presses the printhead and the pressure roller and to a fixed release position that separates the pressure roller from the printhead.

10. The printer according to claim 9, characterized in that, The locking lever has a locking claw that secures the cover to the closed position when the support frame is moved to the fixed position.

Images