A new type of embedded thermal printer

Abstract

The utility model relates to a printer technical field discloses a novel embedded thermal printer, including shell and be located the rubber roll of shell inside, main control board and thermal print head subassembly, thermal print head subassembly close rubber roll installation, one end of rubber roll is equipped with driven gear, the outside installation of shell has gear box, the outside of gear box is equipped with stepping motor, and stepping motor passes through gear box and driven gear transmission connection, the back of shell is equipped with paper feeding channel subassembly, the front of shell is equipped with detachable face cover subassembly, the upper portion, lower portion of face cover subassembly all are equipped with fixed buckle, and fixed buckle is used for with face cover subassembly and shell fixed connection, the upper portion of face cover subassembly is equipped with elastic press, when pressing elastic press, the fixed buckle of face cover subassembly upper portion and shell are separated, the inside of face cover subassembly is equipped with moving blade, and the cutter drive subassembly is installed on thermal print head subassembly, and the cutter drive subassembly drives moving blade to move to reach the function of paper cutting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of printer technology, and more specifically to a novel embedded thermal printer. Background Technology

[0002] In modern commercial and industrial automation scenarios, thermal printers are widely used in POS terminals, self-service equipment, and industrial control systems due to their advantages such as high printing speed and inkless operation. Traditional thermal printers often employ an open paper path design with dispersed mechanical structures, resulting in a complex and bulky overall structure. Furthermore, the cutter module or printhead assembly of existing printers is mostly fixed, requiring the disassembly of multiple parts for blade replacement or paper path cleaning, leading to cumbersome operation, high maintenance costs, and poor maintenance convenience. With the popularization of IoT technology and the trend towards device miniaturization, the market has placed higher demands on the size and ease of maintenance of thermal printers. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a novel embedded thermal printer, which solves the problems of complex structure and inconvenient maintenance of traditional thermal printers through a closed paper path and modular design inside the casing.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a novel embedded thermal printer, comprising a housing and a rubber roller, a main control board, and a thermal printhead assembly disposed inside the housing. The axial direction of the rotating shaft of the rubber roller is perpendicular to the paper movement direction. The thermal printhead assembly is mounted in close contact with the rubber roller. One end of the rubber roller is provided with a driven gear. A gearbox is mounted outside the housing, and a stepper motor is mounted outside the gearbox. The stepper motor is connected to the driven gear through the gearbox.

[0005] The back of the housing is provided with a paper feed channel assembly, and the front of the housing is provided with a detachable cover assembly. The upper and lower parts of the cover assembly are provided with fixing buckles, which are used to fix the cover assembly and the housing. The upper part of the cover assembly is provided with an elastic button. When the elastic button is pressed, the fixing buckle on the upper part of the cover assembly is disengaged from the housing.

[0006] The inner side of the cover assembly is equipped with a moving blade, and the thermal printhead assembly is equipped with a cutter drive assembly, which drives the moving blade to move to achieve the function of cutting paper.

[0007] Preferably, the paper feed channel assembly includes two identical brackets, each with a sensor mounting hole on each side. A sensor for detecting paper is installed in the mounting hole, and the sensor is electrically connected to the main control board.

[0008] Preferably, the faceplate assembly is provided with a positioning pin, and the moving blade is provided with a strip-shaped sliding groove corresponding to the positioning pin. Through the cooperation of the positioning pin and the strip-shaped sliding groove, the moving blade and the faceplate assembly are slidably connected.

[0009] Preferably, a spring is provided in the middle of the inner side of the face cover assembly. One end of the spring is fixed to the face cover assembly, and the other end of the spring abuts against the moving blade and forms a gap with the face cover assembly.

[0010] Preferably, the gearbox is equipped with a transmission gear that meshes with the driven gear, the output shaft of the stepper motor meshes with the transmission gear via ratchet teeth, and the stepper motor is electrically connected to the main control board.

[0011] Preferably, the cutter drive assembly includes a support and a DC motor. The DC motor is mounted on the support, and the output end of the DC motor is provided with a worm gear. The worm gear is connected to a turbine, and the turbine is eccentrically provided with a turbine pin. The turbine pin is movably connected to the moving blade.

[0012] Preferably, the thermal printhead assembly is provided with two pressure springs connected to the support of the cutter drive assembly, the pressure springs being used to provide printhead pressure.

[0013] Preferably, the thermal printhead assembly includes a printhead support and a thermal printhead. The thermal printhead is mounted on the printhead support, and the printhead support has a Z-shaped cross-section. The protruding edge at the front of the printhead support acts as a fixed blade, which moves up and down in conjunction with a moving blade to cut the paper.

[0014] Preferably, the printhead support is equipped with a sensor support, and the sensor support is equipped with a reflective sensor. The reflective sensor is used to detect paper jams during printing. When paper jams occur at the printhead exit, the paper bends and is squeezed, which is detected by the reflective sensor.

[0015] Preferably, the main control board is equipped with operation button switches and indicator lights.

[0016] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the novel embedded thermal printer provided by this utility model are as follows:

[0017] 1. The enclosed paper path design reduces redundant components, and combined with integrated structures such as the printhead bracket, it reduces the overall size of the machine and meets the strict space requirements for embedded installation;

[0018] 2. The enclosed paper path avoids interference from dust and debris, improves paper positioning accuracy, and reduces the paper jam failure rate;

[0019] 3. The detachable cover module can be quickly removed via a flexible button, shortening replacement and maintenance time; the reflective sensor detects paper jams in real time, reducing fault response time, avoiding printhead damage, and reducing maintenance costs;

[0020] 4. The worm gear and turbine drive cutter drive assembly, combined with micro-switch positioning, reduces paper cutting errors; the pressure spring of the sensor bracket provides stable printhead pressure, ensuring uniform print clarity and adapting to high-speed printing requirements;

[0021] 5. The main control board integrates operation buttons and indicator lights, supports one-click fault reset and status display; the reflective sensor is linked with the main control board, which can realize functions such as automatic stop for paper jams and fault code display, thereby improving the intelligence level of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model 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 this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the novel embedded thermal printer of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 2 This is another structural view of the novel embedded thermal printer of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the structure of the novel embedded thermal printer of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the paper feed channel assembly of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the paper slot width adjustment of the novel embedded thermal printer of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the faceplate assembly of this utility model;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the gearbox and stepper motor of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the cutter drive assembly of this utility model;

[0031] Figure 9 Structural diagram of the turbine and the recess of this utility model;

[0032] Figure 10 The schematic diagram of the micro switch controlling the turbine rotation of this utility model is shown, where A is the initial state, B is working state 1, C is working state 2, and D is the reset state.

[0033] Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of the thermal printhead assembly of this utility model;

[0034] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of the main control board of this utility model;

[0035] Figure 13 This is a structural diagram of the normal printing paper of the novel embedded thermal printer of this utility model;

[0036] Figure 14 This is a structural diagram of the paper output port blockage of the novel embedded thermal printer of this utility model.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0038] Outer shell -1;

[0039] Paper feed channel assembly-2, bracket-2.11, sensor-2.12;

[0040] Faceplate assembly -3, positioning pin -3.12, moving blade -3.13, fixing buckle -3.14, elastic button -3.15, spring piece -3.16;

[0041] Rubber roller-4, driven gear-4.11, gearbox-4.12, transmission gear-4.13, stepper motor-4.14;

[0042] Cutter drive assembly - 5, support - 5.11, DC motor - 5.12, worm gear - 5.13, worm wheel - 5.14, worm wheel pin - 5.15, micro switch - 5.16, recess - 5.17;

[0043] Thermal printhead assembly - 6, printhead bracket - 6.11, thermal printhead - 6.12, sensor bracket - 6.13, reflective sensor - 6.14;

[0044] Main control board - 7, operation button switch - 7.11, indicator light - 7.12;

[0045] Pressure spring -8;

[0046] Paper - 9. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. The following description of an exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present utility model or its application or use. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0048] Please see the appendix Figure 1-14 This is a novel embedded thermal printer disclosed in this utility model.

[0049] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the novel embedded thermal printer provided by this utility model includes a shell 1 made of high-strength metal to ensure the rigidity of the whole machine. The outer shell 1 is equipped with a paper feed channel assembly 2 and a cover assembly 3. The closed design can reduce dust intrusion and reduce the paper jam failure rate. The cover assembly 3 and the paper feed channel assembly 2 are both independent modular structures, so that the whole machine does not need to be disassembled when repairing a single part, thus reducing maintenance time.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, the paper feed channel assembly 2 is composed of two identical brackets 2.11. Each bracket 2.11 has pre-drilled sensor mounting holes on both sides. After the sensor 2.12 is installed, it is used to detect paper and position the paper, reducing the detection response time. Figure 5 As shown, the mounting holes of the two brackets 2.11 are designed to be elongated, allowing for fine adjustment of the paper feed width during mounting, thus adapting to different paper sizes 9 and improving printer compatibility.

[0051] like Figure 3 , Figure 6 As shown, the faceplate assembly 3 is detachably mounted on the housing 1. The faceplate assembly 3 contains a movable blade 3.13, which is fixed by two positioning pins 3.12 embedded in the faceplate assembly 3. After fixing, the movable blade 3.13 can slide up and down and ensure linear movement.

[0052] In this embodiment, the face cover assembly 3 has four fixing buckles 3.14 on its upper and lower parts to fix it to the outer shell 1. The upper part of the face cover assembly 3 has a manually operable elastic button 3.15. Pressing the elastic button 3.15 will disengage two of the fixing buckles 3.14 on the upper part of the face cover assembly 3 from the outer shell 1, allowing the entire face cover assembly 3 to be easily removed from the outer shell 1. The inner center of the face cover assembly 3 also has two spring tabs 3.16. One end of each spring tab 3.16 is fixed to the face cover assembly 3, and the other end abuts against the moving blade 3.13, forming a gap between them, thereby pressing down on the moving blade 3.13 and providing shearing force for cutting paper, ensuring the flatness of the cut edges.

[0053] like Figure 3 , Figure 7 As shown, a rubber roller 4 is provided inside the outer casing 1, and the surface can be covered with a wear-resistant rubber layer. One end of the rubber roller 4 is provided with a driven gear 4.11. A gearbox 4.12 is installed outside the outer casing 1. A transmission gear 4.13 and a driven gear 4.11 are installed inside the gearbox 4.12. A stepper motor 4.14 is installed outside the gearbox 4.12 to drive the rubber roller 4 to rotate, thereby moving the paper 9 and printing.

[0054] like Figure 3 , Figure 8 As shown, the housing 1 also includes a cutter drive assembly 5. The cutter drive assembly 5 includes a support 5.11, on which a DC motor 5.12 is mounted. The output end of the DC motor 5.12 has a worm gear 5.13, which meshes with and drives a turbine 5.14. A turbine pin 5.15 is eccentrically mounted on the turbine 5.14. The moving blade 3.13 has a strip-shaped sliding groove corresponding to the turbine pin 5.15. The turbine pin 5.15 connects to the moving blade 3.13 to drive the moving blade 3.13 to move up and down, achieving the function of cutting paper. A micro switch 5.16 is also provided below the turbine 5.14 to control the rotation and stopping position of the turbine 5.14, reducing paper cutting errors and improving the accuracy of the drive structure.

[0055] like Figures 9-10 As shown, the turbine 5.14 has an eccentric recess 5.17, the opening of which is radially outward along the turbine 5.14. When the turbine 5.14 is in Figure 10 In the initial state of (A), microswitch 5.16 is open, turbine pin 5.15 is in its highest position, and the contact of microswitch 5.16 is located in recess 5.17. When turbine 5.14 is in... Figure 10 In operating state 1 of (B), the DC motor 5.12 drives the turbine 5.14 to rotate counterclockwise, the contact of the micro switch 5.16 slides out of the recess 5.17, the micro switch 5.16 closes, and the turbine pin 5.15 moves downward in a horizontal position. When the turbine 5.14 is in... Figure 10In working state 2 of (C), the turbine 5.14 rotates counterclockwise 180 degrees, the microswitch 5.16 remains closed, and the turbine pin 5.15 is at its lowest horizontal position. At this time, the paper has been cut. When the turbine 5.14 is in... Figure 10 In the reset state (D), the turbine 5.14 rotates 360 degrees, the contact of the microswitch 5.16 falls into the groove of the turbine, the microswitch 5.16 opens, the motor stops, and the turbine pin 5.15 returns to its highest position. During the above process, the turbine pin 5.15 follows the turbine 5.14 in a circular motion, which is converted into the turbine pin 5.15 reciprocating left and right along the strip sliding groove, and also into driving the moving blade 3.13 to reciprocate up and down, thus achieving the function of cutting paper.

[0056] like Figure 3 , Figure 11 As shown, a thermal printhead assembly 6 is also provided inside the outer casing 1. The thermal printhead assembly 6 is installed close to the rubber roller 4. The thermal printhead assembly 6 includes four accessories: a printhead bracket 6.11, a thermal printhead 6.12, a sensor bracket 6.13, and a reflective sensor 6.14. The printhead bracket 6.11 is designed with a unique Z-shape, which serves to fix the thermal printhead 6.12, and its protruding edge also acts as a fixed blade to cooperate with the moving blade 3.13 to achieve the purpose of paper cutting by moving up and down. The sensor bracket 6.13 is mounted on the printhead bracket 6.11, and the reflective sensor 6.14 is mounted on the sensor bracket 6.13 to detect paper jams during printing. Figure 14 As shown, once paper jams at the printhead, the paper 9 bends and is detected by the reflective sensor 6.14, at which point the printer stops paper output and reports a fault. The sensor bracket 6.13 has two pressure springs 8 connected to the support 5.11 of the cutter drive assembly 5 to provide printhead pressure, ensuring uniform print clarity. The linkage mechanism between the reflective sensor 6.14 and the main control board 7 prevents thermal paper carbonization caused by paper jams, protecting the equipment and operator safety.

[0057] like Figure 3 , Figure 12 As shown, the outer casing 1 also houses a main control board 7. The aforementioned stepper motor 4.14, DC motor 5.12, and other components are electrically connected to the main control board 7, enabling the main control board 7 to control the overall operation of the printer. The main control board 7 is equipped with an operation button switch 7.11 and indicator lights 7.12. A solid green light indicates normal operation, a flashing yellow light indicates a paper shortage, and a solid red light indicates a paper jam, facilitating printer operation and monitoring.

[0058] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the present 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 present invention. Therefore, the present 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 novel embedded thermal printer, characterized in that, The device includes a housing (1) and a rubber roller (4), a main control board (7), and a thermal printhead assembly (6) disposed inside the housing (1). The axial direction of the rotating shaft of the rubber roller (4) is perpendicular to the moving direction of the paper (9). The thermal printhead assembly (6) is installed close to the rubber roller (4). One end of the rubber roller (4) is provided with a driven gear (4.11). A gearbox (4.12) is installed on the outside of the housing (1). A stepper motor (4.14) is installed on the outside of the gearbox (4.12). The stepper motor (4.14) is connected to the driven gear (4.11) through the gearbox (4.12). The back of the outer shell (1) is provided with a paper feed channel assembly (2), and the front of the outer shell (1) is provided with a detachable cover assembly (3). The upper and lower parts of the cover assembly (3) are provided with fixing buckles (3.14). The fixing buckles (3.14) are used to fix the cover assembly (3) and the outer shell (1) in place. The upper part of the cover assembly (3) is provided with an elastic button (3.15). When the elastic button (3.15) is pressed, the fixing buckles (3.14) on the upper part of the cover assembly (3) are disengaged from the outer shell (1). The inner side of the cover assembly (3) is equipped with a moving blade (3.13), and the thermal printhead assembly (6) is equipped with a cutter drive assembly (5). The cutter drive assembly (5) drives the moving blade (3.13) to move to achieve the function of cutting paper.

2. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The paper feed channel assembly (2) includes two identical brackets (2.11). Each bracket (2.11) has a sensor fixing hole on each side. A sensor (2.12) for detecting paper (9) is installed in the sensor fixing hole. The sensor (2.12) is electrically connected to the main control board (7).

3. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The faceplate assembly (3) is provided with a positioning pin (3.12), and the moving blade (3.13) is provided with a strip-shaped sliding groove corresponding to the positioning pin (3.12). Through the cooperation of the positioning pin (3.12) and the strip-shaped sliding groove, the moving blade (3.13) and the faceplate assembly (3) are slidably connected.

4. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 3, characterized in that, A spring piece (3.16) is provided in the middle of the inner side of the face cover assembly (3). One end of the spring piece (3.16) is fixed on the face cover assembly (3), and the other end of the spring piece (3.16) abuts against the moving blade (3.13) and forms a gap between the face cover assembly (3).

5. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gearbox (4.12) is equipped with a transmission gear (4.13) that meshes with the driven gear (4.11). The output shaft of the stepper motor (4.14) meshes with the transmission gear (4.13) through ratchet teeth. The stepper motor (4.14) is electrically connected to the main control board (7).

6. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cutter drive assembly (5) includes a support (5.11) and a DC motor (5.12). The DC motor (5.12) is mounted on the support (5.11). The output end of the DC motor (5.12) is provided with a worm gear (5.13). The worm gear (5.13) is toothed with a turbine (5.14). The turbine (5.14) is eccentrically provided with a turbine pin (5.15). The turbine pin (5.15) is movably connected to the moving blade (3.13).

7. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The thermal printhead assembly (6) is provided with two pressure springs (8) connected to the support (5.11) of the cutter drive assembly (5), the pressure springs (8) being used to provide printhead pressure.

8. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal printhead assembly (6) includes a printhead bracket (6.11) and a thermal printhead (6.12). The thermal printhead (6.12) is mounted on the printhead bracket (6.11). The printhead bracket (6.11) has a Z-shaped cross-section. The protruding edge at the front of the printhead bracket (6.11) acts as a fixed blade, which moves up and down in conjunction with the moving blade (3.13) to cut the paper.

9. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 8, characterized in that, The printhead bracket (6.11) is equipped with a sensor bracket (6.13), and the sensor bracket (6.13) is equipped with a reflective sensor (6.14). The reflective sensor (6.14) is used to detect paper blockage during printing. When paper blockage occurs at the print outlet, the paper (9) bends and is squeezed, which is detected by the reflective sensor (6.14).

10. The novel embedded thermal printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control board (7) is equipped with an operation button switch (7.11) and an indicator light (7.12).

Images