A code scanning and printing all-in-one machine

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of code scanning and printing integrated machines, in particular to a code scanning and printing integrated machine, which comprises a machine body, a paper bin is fixedly installed at the front end of the machine body, a flip cover is rotationally installed on the paper bin, a scraping rod is slidably installed in the paper bin, an elastic element is arranged between the scraping rod and the paper bin, the elastic element drives the scraping rod to always abut against the outer cylindrical surface of a paper roll, the paper bin is assembled with a paper amount prompting assembly which is synchronously linked with the displacement of the scraping rod and a sound prompting assembly which is used for paper shortage early warning, the scraping rod is always abutted against the outer cylindrical surface of the paper roll through the setting and the elastic element, the scraping rod moves to the center along with the reduction of the diameter of the paper roll, on one hand, paper scraps on the surface of the paper roll are continuously scraped off and discharged through a discharge port, the accumulation of the paper scraps in the paper bin is reduced and the cleaning frequency is reduced, on the other hand, a pointer is driven to slide on a scale line, a user can directly observe the remaining paper amount without a transparent window or an electronic sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of barcode scanning and printing equipment technology, and more specifically to a barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, handheld barcode scanners and printers are widely used in mobile order processing scenarios such as retail, logistics, and catering. These devices typically integrate the barcode scanning module and the thermal printing module into the same housing, with an internal paper tray to hold the thermal paper roll. After the user scans the barcode, the printing module prints the receipt on the thermal paper and outputs it.

[0003] In existing handheld barcode scanner printers, the paper tray is mostly a closed or semi-closed structure. To determine the remaining paper level, common methods include opening a transparent viewing window on the casing, relying on the printer's built-in paper shortage sensor alarm, or relying on the user's experience to estimate. Among these methods, the transparent window is difficult to use when there is insufficient light or the paper rolls are similar in color, and the paper shortage sensor only alarms when the paper is completely used up, at which point it is impossible to print critical receipts, which can easily cause work interruption. Experience estimation is unreliable, especially when multiple orders are processed in a row, which can easily lead to misjudgment. In addition, during the manufacturing, transportation, and long-term storage of thermal paper rolls, tiny paper scraps or dust can easily be generated on the edges and surfaces. During the printing process, the paper roll rotates and releases paper, and these paper scraps will fall off and accumulate inside the paper tray. Some of these paper scraps may enter the print head, rubber roller, or barcode scanning optical path, resulting in unclear printing, paper jams, or even false barcode scanning. In existing devices, the paper tray lacks an active cleaning or collection structure for paper scraps, and usually can only rely on manual periodic opening and closing of the cover for cleaning, which is inconvenient for maintenance. Therefore, we propose a barcode scanner printer. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine, which aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine includes a body, a paper tray fixedly installed at the front end of the body, a flip cover rotatably installed on the paper tray, a scraper slidably installed inside the paper tray, an elastic element provided between the scraper and the paper tray, the elastic element driving the scraper to always press against the outer surface of the paper roll, and the paper tray is equipped with a paper quantity indicator component that moves synchronously with the scraper displacement and an audible warning component for paper shortage warning.

[0006] In some embodiments, the elastic element includes a sliding sleeve and a disc spring fitted on the outside of the sliding sleeve. The two ends of the sliding sleeve are fixedly connected to the scraper and the paper tray, respectively. The two ends of the disc spring are axially abutted against the scraper and the paper tray, respectively. When the diameter of the paper roll gradually decreases, the disc spring gradually contracts and pushes the scraper to move continuously toward the center of the paper roll, so that the scraper always remains in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the paper roll.

[0007] In some embodiments, the paper quantity indication component includes pointers fixedly installed at both ends of the scraper and scale lines correspondingly disposed on the side wall of the paper compartment. The scale lines are arranged along the sliding displacement direction of the scraper, and the pointers move synchronously with the scraper and cooperate with the scale lines to intuitively indicate the remaining paper quantity thickness of the paper roll inside the paper compartment.

[0008] In some embodiments, the audible prompting component includes a magnetic block fixedly mounted on a scraper and whistles mounted on both sides of the paper tray. A slide rod is slidably mounted axially inside the whistles, and a piston is fixedly mounted at one end of the slide rod inside the whistles.

[0009] In some embodiments, the whistle body has an air passage, the outer circumferential surface of the piston is fitted to the inner wall of the air passage, the side wall of the whistle body has an air outlet, and the air outlet is connected to the inside of the air passage. When the piston slides rapidly in the air passage, the airflow is discharged through the air outlet and a whistle sound is generated.

[0010] In some embodiments, the end of the slide rod away from the piston extends outside the whistle body and is fixedly mounted with a metal block. The metal block is positioned corresponding to and magnetically engaged with the magnetic block. A guide rod is fixedly mounted on the whistle body. The guide rod extends along the sliding direction of the slide rod. A guide hole is provided on the metal block, and the metal block is slidably sleeved with the guide rod through the guide hole.

[0011] In some embodiments, a spring is sleeved on the guide rod, one end of the spring abuts against the metal block, and the other end of the spring abuts against the whistle body. The spring is used to push the metal block and the slide rod back to the initial position after the magnetic block separates from the metal block.

[0012] In some embodiments, the springs are provided in two sets, and the two sets of springs are respectively sleeved on both ends of the guide rod, so that the metal block maintains a bidirectional elastic floating state on the guide rod.

[0013] In some embodiments, two sets of magnetic blocks are provided, and the two sets of magnetic blocks are symmetrically distributed at both ends of the scraper. Two sets of whistles are provided accordingly, and the two sets of whistles are symmetrically installed on both sides of the paper tray, respectively corresponding to and cooperating with the two sets of magnetic blocks.

[0014] In some embodiments, the bottom of the paper bin is provided with a discharge port, which is located directly below the scraper and extends along the width direction of the paper bin. Paper scraps removed from the surface of the paper roll by the scraper are discharged outside the paper bin through the discharge port. The contact surface between the scraper and the paper roll is a smooth arc-shaped surface, and the scraper is made of nylon.

[0015] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the present invention discloses a barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention, by setting a scraper and utilizing an elastic element to keep it always in contact with the outer surface of the paper roll, allows the scraper to gradually move towards the center of the paper roll as the diameter decreases. On one hand, the scraper continuously contacts the surface of the paper roll during its rotation, effectively removing tiny paper scraps or dust adhering to the edges and surface of the paper roll. The scraped paper scraps are then discharged directly from the machine through the discharge port at the bottom of the paper compartment, thereby effectively reducing the accumulation of paper scraps inside the paper compartment and lowering the possibility of paper scraps entering the print head or barcode scanning optical path, reducing the hassle of frequent disassembly and cleaning for users. On the other hand, the movement of the scraper simultaneously causes the pointer to slide along the scale line, allowing users to intuitively judge the remaining paper roll thickness in the paper compartment by observing the position of the pointer, without relying on a transparent window or electronic sensor, and enabling quick information on the paper quantity even in low-light environments.

[0016] 2. This invention incorporates a magnetic block and whistle assembly linked to the scraper. When the paper roll is not in use, the scraper is pushed to the bottom of the paper tray, the magnetic block approaches and attracts the metal block, and the slide bar and piston are fixed above the air passage. When the paper roll diameter decreases to a specific position where the scraper moves, the magnetic force of the magnetic block on the metal block is less than the restoring force of the spring. The two sets of springs drive the slide bar and piston to move rapidly within the air passage, causing airflow to be discharged from the air outlet and producing a whistle. Upon hearing the whistle, the user knows that the paper roll is almost empty and needs to be replaced in time, thus avoiding the inability to print critical receipts or work interruptions due to sudden paper depletion. This audible prompting structure relies entirely on mechanical linkage and does not depend on batteries or electronic sensors. It is stable and reliable in operation, and the two symmetrically arranged magnetic blocks and whistles ensure that the scraper can reliably trigger the prompt under any tilting or vibration state. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the paper storage compartment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the whistle body of the present invention; Figure 4 For the present invention Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram at point A; Figure 5 This is a front view of the paper container of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the magnetic block and the metal block of the present invention.

[0019] in: 1. Machine body; 2. Paper tray; 3. Flip cover; 4. Scraper; 5. Sliding sleeve; 6. Disc spring; 7. Pointer; 8. Scale line; 9. Whistle body; 10. Sliding rod; 11. Piston; 12. Metal block; 13. Air passage; 14. Air outlet; 15. Magnetic block; 16. Guide rod; 17. Spring; 18. Discharge port. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] Example 1: Please refer to Figure 1-6 This invention provides a barcode scanner and printer all-in-one machine, including a body 1. A paper tray 2 is fixedly installed at the front end of the body 1, and a flip cover 3 is rotatably installed on the paper tray 2. A scraper 4 is slidably installed inside the paper tray 2, and an elastic element is provided between the scraper 4 and the paper tray 2. The elastic element drives the scraper 4 to always press against the outer circumference of the paper roll. The paper tray 2 is equipped with a paper level indicator component that moves synchronously with the scraper 4 and an audible warning component for paper shortage. After a new thermal paper roll is placed into the paper tray 2 and the flip cover 3 is closed, the scraper 4 automatically presses against the outer circumference of the paper roll under the action of the elastic element. As printing continues, the paper roll is continuously consumed, and its diameter gradually decreases. The small, elastic element continuously pushes the scraper bar 4 towards the center of the paper roll, ensuring that the scraper bar 4 always remains in contact with the surface of the paper roll. During this process, the displacement of the scraper bar 4 directly reflects the remaining thickness of the paper roll. Therefore, by detecting or observing the position of the scraper bar 4, the paper quantity can be indirectly determined. At the same time, as the scraper bar 4 adheres to the surface of the paper roll, it slides relative to the paper roll as the paper roll rotates, thereby scraping off the paper scraps attached to the surface of the paper roll. The paper quantity indicator and the sound indicator components use the displacement of the scraper bar 4 to trigger visual prompts and sound warnings, respectively. All three share a single scraper bar 4 as a sensing element, eliminating the need for additional electronic sensors.

[0022] The elastic element includes a sliding sleeve 5 and a disc spring 6 fitted onto the outside of the sliding sleeve 5. Both ends of the sliding sleeve 5 are fixedly connected to the scraper rod 4 and the paper tray 2, respectively. Both ends of the disc spring 6 axially abut against the scraper rod 4 and the paper tray 2, respectively. As the paper roll diameter gradually decreases, the disc spring 6 gradually contracts and pushes the scraper rod 4 continuously towards the center of the paper roll, ensuring that the scraper rod 4 remains in close contact with the outer circumference of the paper roll. The sliding sleeve 5 connects the scraper rod 4 and the paper tray 2, and also provides an installation position and guide for the disc spring 6. The disc spring 6 is compressed and installed between the scraper rod 4 and the paper tray 2. Its own elastic force will continuously push the scraper 4 outward. When the paper roll diameter is large, the paper roll pushes the scraper 4 to the bottom, and the disc spring 6 is further compressed, storing elastic potential energy. As the paper roll gradually becomes smaller, the pushing force of the paper roll on the scraper 4 weakens, and the disc spring 6 gradually releases the stored potential energy, pushing the scraper 4 towards the center of the paper roll, so that the scraper 4 is always close to the outer surface of the paper roll. This design using the disc spring 6 can provide a large elastic force in a very small installation space, and has a short stroke and sensitive response, making it suitable for the compact paper compartment 2 structure inside handheld devices.

[0023] The paper quantity indication component includes pointers 7 fixedly installed at both ends of the scraper 4, and scale lines 8 correspondingly set on the side wall of the paper tray 2. The scale lines 8 are arranged along the sliding displacement direction of the scraper 4. The pointers 7 move synchronously with the scraper 4 and cooperate with the scale lines 8 to intuitively indicate the remaining paper quantity and thickness of the paper roll inside the paper tray 2. The pointers 7 are fixed at both ends of the scraper 4 and move together with the scraper 4. The scale lines 8 are printed or engraved on the side wall of the paper tray 2, and their scale values ​​correspond to paper rolls of different thicknesses. When the scraper 4 is displaced due to changes in the diameter of the paper roll, the position of the pointers 7 above the scale lines 8 also changes accordingly. Users can directly observe the scale indicated by the pointers 7 to directly read the remaining thickness or remaining paper ratio of the current paper roll. This purely mechanical indication method does not require battery power and will not have the false alarms or delays of electronic sensors. It is simple and reliable, and users can see the information at a glance.

[0024] Example 2: Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6The audible prompting component includes a magnetic block 15 fixedly mounted on the scraper 4 and a whistle body 9 mounted on both sides of the paper tray 2. A slide rod 10 is slidably mounted axially inside the whistle body 9. A piston 11 is fixedly mounted at one end of the slide rod 10 inside the whistle body 9. An air passage 13 is opened inside the whistle body 9. The outer circumferential surface of the piston 11 is fitted against the inner wall of the air passage 13. An air outlet 14 is opened on the side wall of the whistle body 9 and is connected to the inside of the air passage 13. When the piston 11 slides rapidly in the air passage 13, the airflow is discharged through the air outlet 14 and a whistle sound is generated. The end of the slide rod 10 away from the piston 11 extends out of the whistle body 9 and is fixedly mounted with a metal block 12. The metal block 12 is positioned corresponding to and magnetically engaged with the magnetic block 15. A guide rod 16 is fixedly mounted on the whistle body 9. The guide rod 16 moves along the slide rod 15. The sliding direction extends, and a guide hole is provided on the metal block 12. The metal block 12 is slidably connected to the guide rod 16 through the guide hole. A spring 17 is sleeved on the guide rod 16. One end of the spring 17 abuts against the metal block 12, and the other end of the spring 17 abuts against the whistle body 9. The spring 17 is used to push the metal block 12 and the slide rod 10 back to the initial position after the magnetic block 15 separates from the metal block 12. Two sets of springs 17 are provided, and the two sets of springs 17 are respectively sleeved on both ends of the guide rod 16, so that the metal block 12 maintains a bidirectional elastic floating state on the guide rod 16. Two sets of magnetic blocks 15 are provided, and the two sets of magnetic blocks 15 are symmetrically distributed at both ends of the scraper rod 4. Two sets of whistles 9 are correspondingly provided, and the two sets of whistles 9 are symmetrically installed on both sides of the paper tray 2, and respectively cooperate with the two sets of magnetic blocks 15 one by one.

[0025] When the paper roll is fully wound, the scraper 4 is pushed to the bottom of the paper tray 2. At this time, the magnetic block 15 fixed on the scraper 4 is very close to the metal block 12. The magnetic force of the magnetic block 15 on the metal block 12 is strong, overcoming the elastic force of the spring 17, and attracting the metal block 12, keeping the slide rod 10 and piston 11 in a certain position within the air passage 13. As the paper roll is gradually consumed, the scraper 4 slowly moves towards the center of the paper roll under the push of the disc spring 6. The magnetic block 15 also moves away from the metal block 12, and the magnetic force between them gradually weakens. When the diameter of the paper roll is small enough and the scraper 4 moves to a certain position, the distance between the magnetic block 15 and the metal block 12 makes the magnetic force less than the restoring force of the springs 17 on both sides. At this time, the elastic force of the spring 17 takes over, instantly pushing the metal block 12 along the guide rod 16 away from the magnetic block 15, and at the same time driving the slide rod 10 and piston 11. The piston 11 slides rapidly within the air passage 13, and the high-speed movement of the piston 11 forces the gas in the air passage 13 to be discharged from the narrow air outlet 14. The airflow vibrates as it passes through the air outlet 14, producing a sharp sound similar to a whistle. When the user hears this sound, they know that the paper roll is almost empty and needs to be replaced in time. Two sets of magnetic blocks 15 and the whistle body 9 are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the scraper 4. On the one hand, this ensures that the scraper 4 is under balanced force and will not be biased or stuck due to unilateral magnetic force. On the other hand, even if the device is used in a tilted, shaking, or vibrating state, at least one side of the magnetic triggering mechanism can work reliably, improving the stability of the warning. When the user opens the flip cover 3 to replace the paper roll, the scraper 4 is pushed back to the bottom position by the new paper roll, the magnetic block 15 approaches the metal block 12 again, and the magnetic force pulls the metal block 12 back. The spring 17 is compressed and reset, and the whistle body 9 assembly returns to the ready-to-trigger state, ready for the next warning.

[0026] The bottom of the paper bin 2 is provided with a discharge port 18, which is located directly below the scraper 4 and extends along the width direction of the paper bin 2. Paper scraps removed from the surface of the paper roll by the scraper 4 are discharged outside the paper bin 2 through the discharge port 18. The contact surface between the scraper 4 and the paper roll is a smooth, arc-shaped surface. The scraper 4 is made of nylon. When the scraper 4 is in contact with the surface of the paper roll and slides relative to it as the paper roll rotates, the paper scraps originally attached to the edge or surface of the paper roll are blocked and peeled off by the scraper 4. Since the discharge port 18 is located directly opposite the scraper 4 at the bottom of the paper bin 2, the scraped paper scraps are discharged through the discharge port 18. The paper scraps fall directly into the discharge port 18 under gravity and exit outside the paper tray 2, preventing them from accumulating inside the paper tray 2 or drifting to critical parts such as the print head and rubber rollers. The contact surface between the scraper bar 4 and the paper roll is designed as a smooth, rounded surface to avoid scratching or damaging the coating of the thermal paper while scraping off paper scraps, ensuring that the printing quality is not affected. The scraper bar 4 is made of nylon because nylon has certain wear resistance and self-lubricating properties, and it is not easy to generate static electricity or burrs when rubbing against the paper for a long time. At the same time, it is relatively gentle on the surface of the paper roll and is not easy to cause damage.

[0027] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0028] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For the apparatus disclosed in the embodiments, since they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the method section.

[0029] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine, comprising a body (1), characterized in that: The front end of the machine body (1) is fixedly installed with a paper tray (2), and a flip cover (3) is rotatably installed on the paper tray (2). A scraper (4) is slidably installed inside the paper tray (2). An elastic element is provided between the scraper (4) and the paper tray (2). The elastic element drives the scraper (4) to always press against the outer surface of the paper roll. The paper tray (2) is equipped with a paper quantity indicator component that moves synchronously with the scraper (4) and an audible warning component for paper shortage warning.

2. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic element includes a sliding sleeve (5) and a disc spring (6) fitted on the outside of the sliding sleeve (5). The two ends of the sliding sleeve (5) are fixedly connected to the scraper (4) and the paper bin (2) respectively. The two ends of the disc spring (6) are axially abutted against the scraper (4) and the paper bin (2) respectively. When the diameter of the paper roll gradually decreases, the disc spring (6) gradually contracts and pushes the scraper (4) to move continuously towards the center of the paper roll, so that the scraper (4) always keeps in close contact with the outer circumference of the paper roll.

3. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The paper quantity indicator component includes pointers (7) fixedly installed at both ends of the scraper (4) and scale lines (8) correspondingly set on the side wall of the paper bin (2). The scale lines (8) are arranged along the sliding displacement direction of the scraper (4). The pointers (7) move synchronously with the scraper (4) and cooperate with the scale lines (8) to intuitively indicate the remaining paper quantity thickness of the paper roll inside the paper bin (2).

4. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sound prompting component includes a magnetic block (15) fixedly installed on the scraper (4) and a whistle body (9) installed on both sides of the paper tray (2). A slide rod (10) is slidably installed in the whistle body (9) along the axial direction. A piston (11) is fixedly installed at one end of the slide rod (10) inside the whistle body (9).

5. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The whistle body (9) has an air passage (13) inside. The outer circumferential surface of the piston (11) is fitted to the inner wall of the air passage (13). The side wall of the whistle body (9) has an air outlet (14) connected to the inside of the air passage (13). When the piston (11) slides rapidly in the air passage (13), the airflow is discharged through the air outlet (14) and a whistle is produced.

6. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The end of the slide rod (10) away from the piston (11) extends out of the whistle body (9) and is fixedly mounted with a metal block (12). The metal block (12) is positioned opposite to the magnetic block (15) and magnetically engaged. A guide rod (16) is fixedly mounted on the whistle body (9). The guide rod (16) extends along the sliding direction of the slide rod (10). A guide hole is provided on the metal block (12). The metal block (12) is slidably sleeved with the guide rod (16) through the guide hole.

7. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: A spring (17) is sleeved on the guide rod (16). One end of the spring (17) abuts against the metal block (12), and the other end of the spring (17) abuts against the whistle body (9). The spring (17) is used to push the metal block (12) and the slide rod (10) back to their initial positions after the magnetic block (15) and the metal block (12) are separated.

8. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The spring (17) is provided in two sets, and the two sets of springs (17) are respectively sleeved on both ends of the guide rod (16) so that the metal block (12) maintains a bidirectional elastic floating state on the guide rod (16).

9. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: Two sets of magnetic blocks (15) are provided, and the two sets of magnetic blocks (15) are symmetrically distributed at both ends of the scraper (4). Two sets of whistles (9) are provided, and the two sets of whistles (9) are symmetrically installed on both sides of the paper bin (2), respectively corresponding to and cooperating with the two sets of magnetic blocks (15).

10. The barcode scanning and printing all-in-one machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the paper bin (2) is provided with a discharge port (18). The discharge port (18) is located directly below the scraper (4) and extends along the width direction of the paper bin (2). The paper scraps removed from the paper roll surface by the scraper (4) are discharged outside the paper bin (2) through the discharge port (18). The contact surface between the scraper (4) and the paper roll is a smooth arc-shaped surface. The scraper (4) is made of nylon.

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