Cutter unit and printer having the same

Abstract

To provide a cutter unit which can prevent adhering of a recording sheet to a movable blade, and to provide a printer having the cutter unit.SOLUTION: A cutter unit 50 cuts a transported recording sheet L. The cutter unit 50 has a movable blade 81 which may move forward or rearward toward the recording sheet L and cuts the recording sheet L when moving forward. Further, the cutter unit 50 includes a peeling mechanism 90 having a contact part 95 which moves in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the movable blade 81 and makes contact with the recording sheet L.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cutter unit that cuts recording paper, and a printer having the cutter unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Recording paper includes plain paper without an adhesive layer and labels with an adhesive layer. Labels include those with and without a backing paper, but when a linerless label without a backing paper is fed and printed on, when the linerless label is cut by the cutter unit, the linerless label may not peel off from the cutter blade, resulting in a jam.

[0003] Therefore, the printer disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to rotate a rotary blade relative to a fixed blade to cut the linerless label, and then lightly attach the cut linerless label to the paper discharge section to which the rotary blade is fixed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-89247 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the printer disclosed in Patent Document 1, the rotary blade and the discharge section are integrated, so that the linerless label may adhere to both the rotary blade and the discharge section. If the linerless label adheres to the rotary blade, it may also cause a jam.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a cutter unit capable of preventing recording paper from adhering to the movable blade, and a printer having the cutter unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cutter unit that cuts recording paper being transported, the cutter unit comprising: a movable blade that can move forward and backward relative to the recording paper and cuts the recording paper when moving forward; and a peeling mechanism having a contact portion that moves in a direction opposite to the forward and backward movement direction of the movable blade and comes into contact with the recording paper. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to one aspect, it is possible to prevent the recording paper from sticking to the movable blade. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a printer unit and a cutter unit of the printer according to the embodiment; [Diagram 2] A perspective view of the cutter unit and the recording paper as seen from the positive X-axis direction. [Diagram 3] A perspective view of the cutter unit as seen from the negative X-axis direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a cutter gear mechanism configured in the unit assembly. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main frame and a cutter structure; [Figure 6] A perspective view of the cutter unit as seen from the X-axis positive direction [Figure 7] Diagram showing the peeling arm [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a front view showing the operation of the cutter structure and the peeling mechanism; [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a front view showing the operation of the cutter structure and the peeling mechanism; [Figure 10] Diagram showing the operation of the cutter unit [Figure 11] Diagram showing the operation of the cutter unit [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view showing the relationship in height between the components of the cutter unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a contact portion of a peeling arm according to a modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a biasing member according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a printer unit 10 and a cutter unit 50 of a printer 1 according to an embodiment. The X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction shown in FIG. 1 and the following figures are perpendicular to each other. The X-axis direction is the direction in which the printer unit 10 and the cutter unit 50 are connected, and the surface on the positive side of the X-axis may be expressed as the front side, and the surface on the negative side of the X-axis may be expressed as the back side. The Y-axis direction is the axial direction of the platen 60, and may be expressed as the width direction of each unit. The Z-axis direction is the movement direction of a movable blade 81, which will be described later, and may be expressed as the up-down direction, height direction, or vertical direction of each unit.

[0012] The printer 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a device that prints on the positive Z-axis side (upper surface) of the recording paper L (see Fig. 2) while feeding the recording paper L (see Fig. 2) in the positive X-axis direction to the negative Z-axis side (lower surface). The recording paper L is not particularly limited, but examples include sticker-type labels and tickets that can be affixed to items.

[0013] The printer 1 includes a printer unit 10 and a cutter unit 50, and the two units are assembled in the X-axis direction to form an integrated unit assembly. The recording paper L is fed in the positive direction of the X-axis along the upper surface of this unit assembly (see also FIG. 2).

[0014] The printer 1 also includes a thermal head unit (not shown) above where the printer unit 10 and the cutter unit 50 are connected. For example, when the thermal head unit is in contact with the top surface of the recording paper L being fed, a heating element in the head generates heat in accordance with the printing contents. When the recording paper L is heated based on the heat generated by the thermal head unit, the coating at that location develops color and printing is performed.

[0015] The printer unit 10 holds recording paper L wound in a roll and has various structural parts for feeding out the recording paper L. Specifically, the printer unit 10 has a platen motor 11, a cutter motor 12, a frame 20, a platen gear mechanism 30, and a cutter gear mechanism 40.

[0016] The frame 20 has a width direction frame 21 formed in a generally concave shape in top view from the Z-axis positive side, and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a pair of gear boxes 22 extending in the X-axis negative direction at both ends of the width direction frame 21. The pair of gear boxes 22 protrude slightly in the Z-axis negative direction from the width direction frame 21. A platen 60 of a cutter unit 50, which will be described later, is partially disposed in the space between the pair of gear boxes 22 below the width direction frame 21.

[0017] The platen motor 11 and the platen gear mechanism 30 are installed in the gear box 22R of the pair of gear boxes 22 on the platen gear side on the Y-axis positive side in FIG. 1. The body of the platen motor 11 is fixed to the face of the gear box 22R on the Y-axis negative side. The rotating shaft of the platen motor 11 protrudes from the body in the Y-axis positive side and penetrates the face of the gear box 22R on the Y-axis negative side. The platen gear mechanism 30 is provided on the Y-axis positive side of the gear box 22R. The platen motor 11 may be one whose rotating shaft can be rotated forward and backward.

[0018] The platen gear mechanism 30 is housed in the gear box 22R and a gear cover 31, and transmits the rotational driving force of the rotation shaft of the platen motor 11 by a plurality of gears 32. Each gear 32 of the platen gear mechanism 30 may have a speed reduction function for reducing the rotational speed of the platen motor 11.

[0019] Meanwhile, the cutter motor 12 and the cutter gear mechanism 40 are installed in the gear box 22L on the cutter gear side of the pair of gear boxes 22 on the Y-axis negative side in FIG. 1. The main body of the cutter motor 12 is fixed to the face of the gear box 22L on the Y-axis positive side. The rotating shaft of the cutter motor 12 protrudes from the main body in the Y-axis negative direction and penetrates the face of the gear box 22L on the Y-axis positive side. The cutter gear mechanism 40 is provided on the Y-axis negative side of the gear box 22L. The cutter motor 12 according to this embodiment is capable of rotating the rotating shaft in both forward and reverse directions.

[0020] The cutter gear mechanism 40 is housed in the gear box 22L and the gear cover 41, and transmits the rotational driving force of the rotation shaft of the cutter motor 12 by a plurality of gears 42 (see FIG. 4). Each gear 42 of the cutter gear mechanism 40 may have a speed reducing function for reducing the rotational speed of the cutter motor 12.

[0021] The cutter unit 50 is assembled to the printer unit 10. The cutter unit 50 receives a rotational driving force from the cutter motor 12 and the cutter gear mechanism 40, and uses this rotational driving force to cut the recording paper L. That is, the cutter motor 12 and the cutter gear mechanism 40 constitute an operating part that operates the cutter unit 50. The cutter unit 50 receives a rotational driving force from the platen motor 11 and the platen gear mechanism 30, and uses this rotational driving force to rotate the platen 60. Note that the printer 1 may include the platen 60 in the printer unit 10, without including the platen 60 in the cutter unit 50.

[0022] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cutter unit 50 and recording paper L viewed from the positive side of the X-axis. As shown in Fig. 2, the recording paper L passes above the cutter unit 50. The cutter unit 50 raises and lowers a movable blade 81 in the vertical direction to cut the recording paper L. Specifically, the cutter unit 50 includes a main frame 51, a platen 60, a cutter drive transmission mechanism 70, a cutter structure 80 having the movable blade 81, and a peeling mechanism 90.

[0023] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cutter unit 50 as viewed from the negative side of the X-axis. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the main frame 51 is a support that supports the platen 60, the cutter drive transmission mechanism 70, the cutter structure 80, and the peeling mechanism 90. The main frame 51 is formed in a generally concave shape with an open upper portion in a cross-sectional view along the X-axis direction, and partially covers the front side, rear side, and lower side of the platen 60. The main frame 51 includes a base 52 having this generally concave shape and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a pair of side plates 53 that rotatably support the platen 60.

[0024] In detail, the base 52 has a cutter guide wall 52a arranged on the X-axis positive side, a bottom portion 52b arranged on the Z-axis negative side, and a rear structure 52c arranged on the X-axis negative side. The cutter guide wall 52a extends in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and is formed in a plate shape having a thickness in the X-axis direction. This cutter guide wall 52a has a function of guiding the vertical sliding of the cutter structure 80.

[0025] Furthermore, the main frame 51 is provided with an inner reinforcing sheet metal 55 and an outer reinforcing sheet metal 56 (see also FIG. 1) on the surface of the cutter guide wall 52a opposite the platen 60 side. The inner reinforcing sheet metal 55 protrudes outward in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions beyond the cutter guide wall 52a, and covers the cutter guide wall 52a, the platen side gear 61, the cutter drive transmission mechanism 70, and the cutter structure 80 from the X-axis positive direction side. The outer reinforcing sheet metal 56 is disposed outside (on the X-axis positive direction side) beyond the inner reinforcing sheet metal 55, and covers most of the inner reinforcing sheet metal 55.

[0026] The bottom 52b of the base 52 is connected to the lower part of the cutter guide wall 52a and the lower parts of the pair of side plates 53, and extends in the X-axis direction with a dimension longer than the diameter of the platen 60. The rear structure 52c forms a fin structure connected to the rear side of the bottom 52b. The rear structure 52c is formed, for example, in a triangular shape in a side view seen from the Y-axis direction, and protrudes slightly in the positive direction of the Z-axis. When the printer unit 10 and the cutter unit 50 are assembled, the rear structure 52c is disposed in a space surrounded by the width direction frame 21 and the pair of gear boxes 22.

[0027] Of the pair of side plates 53, the side plate 53R on the Y-axis positive side supports a shaft on one end of the platen 60. Also, of the pair of side plates 53, the side plate 53L on the Y-axis negative side supports a shaft on the other end of the platen 60.

[0028] The side plate 53R is provided with a platen side gear 61 fixed to the shaft of the platen 60. This platen side gear 61 meshes with a predetermined gear 32 of the platen gear mechanism 30 described above when the cutter unit 50 is attached to the printer unit 10. The platen 60 rotates inside the main frame 51 by the rotational driving force of the platen motor 11 being transmitted via the gears 32 and the platen side gear 61.

[0029] The platen 60 is formed into a cylindrical shape extending along the Y-axis direction. The platen 60 supports the underside of the recording paper L when printing is performed by the thermal head unit. It is preferable that the surface of the platen 60 is provided with an appropriate coating that weakens adhesion to an adhesive layer provided on the underside of the recording paper L or makes it impossible to adhere to the recording paper L when the recording paper L is a linerless label. The platen 60 is rotated by the rotational driving force of the platen gear mechanism 30, thereby feeding the recording paper L in the X-axis direction.

[0030] The cutter drive transmission mechanism 70 is provided on the outer side (Y-axis negative direction side) of the side plate 53L. The cutter drive transmission mechanism 70 has a first gear 71 that meshes with the gear 42 on the distal end side away from the motor gear 12a of the cutter gear mechanism 40 described above when the cutter unit 50 is attached to the printer unit 10.

[0031] 4 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing the cutter gear mechanism 40 configured in the unit assembly. As shown in FIG. 4, the cutter gear mechanism 40 includes a plurality of gears 42 between the motor gear 12a connected to the rotating shaft of the cutter motor 12 and the first gear 71 of the cutter unit 50.

[0032] The first gear 71 is journaled between the side plate 53L of the main frame 51 and a side portion (not shown) of the inner reinforcing sheet metal 55 (see also FIG. 3). The first gear 71 rotates by meshing with the gear 42 on the distal end side, and the rotational driving force of the cutter motor 12 is transmitted to the first gear 71. Since the cutter motor 12 is capable of rotating in both forward and reverse directions, the first gear 71 can also rotate in both forward and reverse directions.

[0033] 5 is a perspective view showing the main frame 51 and the cutter structure 80, where (A) is a view of the main frame 51 from the X-axis positive direction side, and (B) is a view of the cutter structure 80 from the side facing the cutter guide wall 52a (X-axis negative direction side). As shown in FIG. 5(A), the cutter drive transmission mechanism 70 includes a first gear 71 and a second gear 72 meshing with the first gear 71 on the cutter guide wall 52a. The cutter guide wall 52a has a step 52a1 recessed in the X-axis negative direction at the widthwise center and lower side, and the second gears 72 are provided in pairs on the widthwise outer side of the step 52a1. In the following, the second gear 72 on the Y-axis negative direction side will be described with L attached, and the second gear 72 on the Y-axis positive direction side will be described with R attached.

[0034] The second gears 72L and 72R are fixed to both ends of a shaft 73 extending in the Y-axis direction. The shaft 73 is rotatably supported by a pair of holes (not shown) provided in a wall in the XZ plane perpendicular to the step 52a1. The second gear 72L meshes with the first gear 71 on the Y-axis negative side. When the first gear 71 rotates based on the rotational driving force from the cutter gear mechanism 40, the second gear 72L rotates. The rotation of the second gear 72L is transmitted to the second gear 72R via the shaft 73, and the second gear 72R also rotates integrally with the second gear 72L.

[0035] The cutter structure 80 is a component configured to be raised and lowered in the Z-axis direction between the cutter guide wall 52a of the main frame 51 and the inner reinforcing sheet metal 55 by the cutter drive transmission mechanism 70 configured as described above. As shown in Fig. 5(B), this cutter structure 80 includes a movable blade 81 and a holding member 82 that holds this movable blade 81.

[0036] The movable blade 81 is made of a metal material and extends long in the Y-axis direction (width direction) and short in the Z-axis direction (height direction). The movable blade 81 has a cutting edge 81e at its uppermost end that can cut the recording paper L.

[0037] The blade tip 81e is inclined so that its height gradually decreases from the outer side in the width direction toward the center in the width direction, and presents an overall V-shaped valley when viewed from the front in the positive direction of the X axis. The printer 1 is equipped with a fixed blade (not shown) in the thermal head unit on the opposite side to the movable blade 81 that sandwiches the recording paper L. Because the blade tip 81e is formed in a V shape, the movable blade 81 can cut the recording paper L from the outer edge on the outer side in the width direction by sandwiching the recording paper L with the fixed blade as it rises toward the recording paper L.

[0038] The holding member 82 is a member that holds the movable blade 81 on the lower and rear sides of the movable blade 81, and is formed of, for example, a resin material. The holding member 82 has an intermediate holding portion 83 that holds the center portion of the movable blade 81 in the width direction, and a pair of rack portions 84 that support the outer sides of the movable blade 81 in the width direction.

[0039] The intermediate holding portion 83 has a lower end support portion 83a that supports the lower edge of the movable blade 81, and a surface support portion 83b that supports the back surface of the movable blade 81. The surface support portion 83b of the intermediate holding portion 83 extends upward from the lower end support portion 83a so that the upper end is located at a position slightly lower than the cutting edge 81e of the movable blade 81. The upper end of the surface support portion 83b is formed in a V-shape that is approximately parallel to the cutting edge 81e, and the cutting edge 81e protrudes slightly from the upper end of the surface support portion 83b.

[0040] The pair of rack parts 84 hold the outer surface of the movable blade 81 in the width direction at the upper part, and each has a plurality of teeth 84t that mesh with the second gear 72 at the lower part. The plurality of teeth 84t are arranged in the vertical direction to form a group of teeth that can mesh with each second gear 72 in FIG. 5(A). That is, the rotational driving force of each second gear 72 is transmitted to the group of teeth of each rack part 84, so that the cutter structure 80 can rise and fall along the Z-axis direction. For example, the cutter structure 80 rises when the forward rotational driving force of the cutter motor 12 is transmitted via the cutter gear mechanism 40 and the cutter drive transmission mechanism 70, and falls when the reverse rotational driving force of the cutter motor 12 is transmitted.

[0041] 6A and 6B are perspective views of the cutter unit as viewed from the X-axis positive direction, where (A) is a view of the cutter unit 50 as viewed from the X-axis positive direction, and (B) is a view of the cutter unit 50 as viewed from the X-axis positive direction with the outer reinforcing sheet metal 56 removed. As shown in Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, the cutter structure 80 is disposed between the cutter guide wall 52a of the main frame 51 and the inner reinforcing sheet metal 55.

[0042] The inner reinforcing sheet metal 55 is formed in an L-shape in a cross-sectional view along the X-axis direction, and its bottom is fixed to the bottom 52b of the main frame 51 (see also FIG. 4). The inner reinforcing sheet metal 55 is supported with a gap in the X-axis direction relative to the cutter guide wall 52a. The cutter structure 80 is disposed in the gap between the cutter guide wall 52a and the inner reinforcing sheet metal 55, and is therefore slidable only in the vertical direction.

[0043] The inner reinforcing sheet metal 55 is provided on the outer side of the main frame 51 in the width direction, and is notched in the center in the width direction. The cutter unit 50 is provided with a peeling mechanism 90 between the pair of inner reinforcing sheet metals 55. A pair of spring members 57 is disposed between the pair of inner reinforcing sheet metals 55. The pair of spring members 57 are supported by a pair of cylinders 52a2 (see also FIG. 5A) provided on the step 52a1 of the cutter guide wall 52a, and protrude slightly in the X-axis direction. The pair of spring members 57 apply a resilient force to the outer reinforcing sheet metal 56 attached to the outside of the inner reinforcing sheet metal 55. When the cutter unit 50 is mounted on the housing (not shown) of the printer 1, the outer reinforcing sheet metal 56 elastically contacts the housing to prevent rattling of the unit assembly.

[0044] The peeling mechanism 90 has a pair of peeling arms 91 arranged inside and above the pair of spring members 57. The pair of peeling arms 91 are supported by a pair of support pins 58 provided on the cutter guide wall 52a inside the pair of spring members 57, and are rotatable along the YZ plane, which is a plane in a direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the recording paper L. In the following description, the peeling arm 91 on the negative side of the Y axis will be labeled with L, and the peeling arm 91 on the positive side of the Y axis will be labeled with R.

[0045] 7 is a diagram showing the peeling arms, where (A) is a front view of the peeling arm 91L, (B) is a side view of the peeling arm 91L, (C) is an enlarged perspective view of the upper part of the peeling arm 91L, and (D) is a front view showing the lower side of the installed peeling arms 91L and 91R. Note that, in the following, the peeling arm 91L on the negative side of the Y axis out of the pair of peeling arms 91 will be specifically described, and a description of the peeling arm 91R formed symmetrically thereto will be omitted.

[0046] 7(A) and 7(B), the peeling arm 91L has a receiving plate portion 92, an extending portion 93, a connecting portion 94, and a contact portion 95. The receiving plate portion 92, the extending portion 93, the connecting portion 94, and the contact portion 95 are integrally formed and are continuous with each other.

[0047] The receiving plate portion 92 is formed in a rectangular shape extending in the XY-axis directions and having a thickness in the Z-axis direction. The receiving plate portion 92 protrudes in the negative X-axis direction from the extending portion 93, and is disposed below the holding member 82 and facing the lower end support portion 83a (see also FIG. 6(B)). In a standby state in which the cutter structure 80 is disposed below, the lower end support portion 83a comes into contact with the receiving plate portion 92 and is pressed downward. This allows the peeling arm 91 to maintain its posture in the standby state.

[0048] The receiving plate portion 92 has a protrusion 92a on the underside of the receiving plate portion 92 near the end of the peeling arm 91L, and as shown in Fig. 7(D), this underside is configured to receive the pressing force of the elastic member 97. The protrusion 92a is inserted into a hole in the elastic member 97. The lower end of the elastic member 97 is supported by a protruding piece 52d that protrudes in the positive direction of the X-axis from the lower end of the cutter guide wall 52a.

[0049] When the peeling arm 91 is in a standby state pressed by the intermediate holding portion 83, the elastic member 97 is compressed in the axial direction by the receiving plate portion 92 to elastically bias the receiving plate portion 92. When the intermediate holding portion 83 rises from the standby state, the elastic member 97 elastically expands to push up the receiving plate portion 92. This allows the peeling arm 91 to rotate smoothly when the intermediate holding portion 83 rises. Note that the peeling mechanism 90 may be designed without the elastic member 97, so that the peeling arm 91 rotates by the weight of the upper side of the extension portion 93, the connecting portion 94, the contact portion 95, etc.

[0050] As shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), the lower end of the extension portion 93 is connected to the end of the receiving plate portion 92 opposite the convex portion 92a. The extension portion 93 extends upward from the receiving plate portion 92 in the negative Y-axis direction. The extension portion 93 is curved to go around the spring member 57. The extension portion 93 has a shaft support tube 96 near the connection point with the receiving plate portion 92. The shaft support tube 96 protrudes from the extension portion 93 to the rear side, and the support pin 58 is inserted into the hole inside the extension portion 93.

[0051] The connecting portion 94 is connected to the upper end of the extending portion 93 and extends a short distance upward from the extending portion 93. The width of the connecting portion 94 is set to be wider than the width of the extending portion 93. The upper end of the connecting portion 94 is connected to the contact portion 95.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 7(C), the contact portion 95 extends in the positive direction of the X-axis relative to the connecting portion 94, and has a rectangular shape in a top view. The contact portion 95 has multiple protrusions 95a (five in the illustrated example) at its uppermost end along the Y-axis direction. Each protrusion 95a is formed in a substantially triangular shape in a front view, and its apex is formed to be sufficiently narrow. The apex of each protrusion 95a can come into contact with the underside of the recording paper L, and if the recording paper L is a linerless label, it comes into direct contact with the adhesive layer.

[0053] That is, when the recording paper L is a linerless label, the contact portion 95 contacts and supports the lower surface of the recording paper L, and the peeling arm 91L peels off the recording paper L adhering to the movable blade 81. Below, the operation of the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R when the recording paper L is a linerless label will be described with reference to Figures 8(A) to 9(B).

[0054] FIG. 8 is a front view showing the operation of the cutter structure 80 and the peeling mechanism 90, where (A) is a first operation diagram, (B) is a second operation diagram, and (C) is a third operation diagram. FIG. 9 is a front view showing the operation of the cutter structure 80 and the peeling mechanism 90, where (A) is a fourth operation diagram, and (B) is a fifth operation diagram. As shown in FIG. 8(A), when the cutter structure 80 is located at the standby position on the negative side of the Z axis, the pair of peeling arms 91L and 91R are located at the peeling position with the receiving plate portion 92 pressed by the intermediate holding portion 83. At the peeling position, the pair of peeling arms 91L and 91R assume a peeling posture that separates the recording paper L from the movable blade 81. That is, at the peeling position, the upper surface of the contact portion 95 is located at a position higher than the movable blade 81. Also, when the pair of peeling arms 91L and 91R are located at the peeling position, the contact portion 95 is parallel to the upper end of the cutter guide wall 52a.

[0055] 8(B), when the cutter structure 80 starts to rise, the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R start to move outward in the width direction in accordance with this rise. That is, the receiving plate portion 92 on the inner side in the width direction of the peeling arms 91L, 91R is biased upward by the elastic member 97. As a result, the extension portion 93, the connecting portion 94, and the contact portion 95 are displaced in a direction opening outward in the width direction with the support pin 58 as a base point.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 8(C), the movable blade 81 of the cutter structure 80 rises to a cutting position where it cuts the recording paper L (see FIG. 2). At this time, the movable blade 81 moves to a position higher than the contact parts 95 of the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R. Meanwhile, the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R move to a retracted position where the contact parts 95 are most open outward in the width direction. This retracted position is a position where the side surface of the extension part 93 contacts the inner reinforcing sheet metal 55, thereby restricting the rotation of the pair of peeling arms 91. In other words, when the movable blade 81 moves from the standby position to the cutting position, the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R are displaced between the peeling position and the retracted position.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 9(A), the cutter structure 80 starts to descend after reaching the cutting position. As the cutter structure 80 descends, the intermediate holding portion 83 presses the receiving plate portions 92 of the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R downward, causing the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R to start moving inward from the retracted position. Then, when the movable blade 81 descends to a certain extent, the contact portions 95 of the pair of rotating peeling arms 91L, 91R become higher than the blade tip 81e of the movable blade 81. As a result, the contact portions 95 come into contact with the recording paper L adhering to the movable blade 81, and the recording paper L can be peeled off from the movable blade 81.

[0058] 9(B), as the cutter structure 80 continues to move down and returns to the standby position, the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R, whose receiving plate portions 92 are pressed by the intermediate holding portions 83, also return to the peeling position. In other words, when the movable blade 81 moves from the cutting position to the standby position, the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R are displaced between the retracted position and the peeling position.

[0059] At this time, the contact portion 95 is parallel to the upper end of the cutter guide wall 52a, and the peeled recording paper L is lightly supported at the top of each protrusion 95a so that it can be easily peeled off. Therefore, the printer 1 can easily remove the recording paper L from the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R by pulling out the cut recording paper L with a weak force. As a result, the printer 1 can effectively prevent the recording paper L from jamming in the cutter unit 50.

[0060] The cutter unit 50 and printer 1 according to this embodiment are basically configured as described above, and the operation when the recording paper L is a linerless label will be described below with reference to Figs. 10(A) to 11(B). Fig. 10 shows the operation of the cutter unit 50, where (A) is a first oblique view and (B) is a first front view showing the operation of the cutter structure 80 and the peeling mechanism 90. Fig. 11 shows the operation of the cutter unit 50, where (A) is a second oblique view and (B) is a second front view showing the operation of the cutter structure 80 and the peeling mechanism 90.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 10(A), the printer 1 performs a cutting operation of the cutter unit 50 in order to take out the X-axis positive side of the recording paper L after feeding out a predetermined length of the recording paper L. At this time, the printer 1 transmits the forward rotational drive force of the cutter motor 12 (see Fig. 1) to the cutter structure 80 via the cutter gear mechanism 40 and the cutter drive transmission mechanism 70 (see also Figs. 4, 5(A) and 5(B)). As a result, the holding member 82 of the cutter structure 80 rises along the Z-axis positive direction, and the movable blade 81 held by the holding member 82 also rises accordingly.

[0062] The cutter structure 80 rises from the standby position to the cutting position, thereby cutting the opposing recording paper L above the movable blade 81. As described above, the blade tip 81e of the movable blade 81 has a V-shape, and cuts the recording paper L from the outer edge side of the recording paper L. As a result, the adhesive layer on the underside of the recording paper L after cutting adheres to the movable blade 81. Note that Figures 10(A) and 10(B) show the recording paper L deformed into a V-shape due to the adhesion of the movable blade 81.

[0063] As described above, the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R of the peeling mechanism 90 each rotate from the peeling posture toward the outside in the width direction in association with the elevation of the cutter structure 80. As a result, as shown in Fig. 10(B) , the pair of contact portions 95 are inclined toward each other at the retracted position, and the pair of contact portions 95 are positioned in a state where they are farthest from each other.

[0064] After the recording paper L is cut, the printer 1 transmits the reverse rotational driving force of the cutter motor 12 (see FIG. 1) to the cutter structure 80 via the cutter gear mechanism 40 and the cutter drive transmission mechanism 70 (see also FIGS. 4, 5(A) and 5(B)). As a result, as shown in FIG. 11(A), the holding member 82 of the cutter structure 80 descends, and the movable blade 81 held by the holding member 82 also descends accordingly. That is, the cutter structure 80 descends from the cutting position to the standby position.

[0065] When the cutter structure 80 descends, the lower end support portion 83a presses downward the receiving plate portions 92 of the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R. The pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R rotate as the receiving plate portion 92 moves downward, moving their respective contact portions 95 inward in the width direction. When the contact portions 95 move inward in the width direction, the contact portions 95 come into contact with the underside of the recording paper L attached to the movable blade 81. That is, as shown in FIG. 11(B), the contact portions 95 move to a position higher than the blade tip 81e, and the recording paper L attached to the movable blade 81 is handed over to the contact portions 95.

[0066] The pair of contact portions 95 move inward and upward relative to each other in the width direction, thereby allowing the recording paper L to be pulled upward and peeled off. When each contact portion 95 approaches the center in the width direction, it is positioned at a position far above the lowered movable blade 81. Therefore, with the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R returning to the peeling posture, the recording paper L can be reliably peeled off from the movable blade 81.

[0067] Furthermore, the pair of peeling arms 91L, 91R in the peeling posture lightly hold the cut recording paper L on the positive X-axis side at the contact portion 95. By holding the recording paper L with the peeling arms 91L, 91R in this manner, it is possible to prevent the cut end of the recording paper L from becoming loose. This allows the printer 1 to prevent the loose recording paper L from adhering to other components of the printer 1.

[0068] Fig. 12 is a side cross-sectional view showing the relationship in height between the components of the cutter unit 50 (platen 60, cutter guide wall 52a, movable blade 81, and peeling arm 91). Note that the reference symbol Po shown in Fig. 12 is the height position of the upper edge of the transport opening of the housing (not shown) when the recording paper L is transported. For example, the printer 1 matches the height position Po of the upper edge of the transport opening with the position of the upper end of the cutter guide wall 52a of the cutter unit 50, thereby preventing the recording paper L from twisting upward.

[0069] On the other hand, the peeling arms 91L, 91R in the peeling position are arranged such that the height position Pe of the contact portion 95 is lower than the height position Po of the upper edge of the transport opening and higher than the height position of the lower edge of the transport opening. However, the height position Pe of the contact portion 95 is set higher than the height position Pc of the blade tip 81e of the movable blade 81 in the standby position. As described above, the movable blade 81 is formed in a V-shape, and the height position Pc of the blade tip 81e refers to the position of the blade tip 81e on the outer side in the width direction that is highest in the entire width direction. Therefore, the distance between the contact portion 95 and the blade tip 81e is further increased in the width direction center of the movable blade 81.

[0070] Because the height position Pe of the contact portion 95 is higher than the height position Pc of the blade tip 81e, the printer 1 can reliably peel the recording paper L from the movable blade 81 even in the case of linerless labels. That is, the recording paper L is supported by each contact portion 95 so that the portion of the recording paper L on the rear side of the contact portion 95 floats at an angle. The entire movable blade 81 is positioned sufficiently away from the recording paper L, so that the supported recording paper L is prevented from coming into contact with the movable blade 81.

[0071] As described above, the cutter unit 50 and printer 1 according to this embodiment are provided with a peeling mechanism 90 that moves in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the movable blade 81, and thus can stably peel off the recording paper L adhered to the movable blade 81. In other words, the cutter unit 50 can effectively prevent the recording paper L from sticking to the movable blade 81, and therefore can significantly reduce the occurrence of jams of the recording paper L.

[0072] The cutter unit 50 and printer 1 according to the present embodiment are not limited to the above embodiment and may take various modified forms. For example, in the above embodiment, an example of cutting a linerless label that does not have a backing paper has been described, but the technology disclosed herein may be applied to the cutter unit 50 and printer 1 that cuts recording paper L in which a label and a backing paper are integrated. When recording paper L in which a label and a backing paper are integrated is cut by the movable blade 81, there is a possibility that the cut portion will adhere to the movable blade 81. The peeling mechanism 90 configured as described above can peel off the cut portion that adheres to the movable blade 81.

[0073] For example, the peeling mechanism 90 is not limited to a configuration including a pair of peeling arms 91, and may be configured to include one, or three or more. Furthermore, the shape of the contact portion 95 of the peeling arm 91 is not particularly limited, and may be longer than the length of the receiving plate portion 92 in the Y-axis direction, for example.

[0074] FIG. 13 is a side view showing contact parts 95A and 95B of a peeling arm 91 according to a modification, where (A) is a view of the contact part 95A according to a first modification, and (B) is a view of the contact part 95B according to a second modification. As in the first modification shown in FIG. 13(A), the contact part 95A of the peeling arm 91 is different from the contact part 95 according to the above embodiment in that a roller 951 is applied instead of the multiple protrusions 95a (see FIG. 7(C)). The roller 951 is rotatably supported by, for example, an axis part 952 provided on the contact part 95A. This allows the peeling arm 91 to hold the recording paper L peeled off from the movable blade 81 by the roller 951. The roller 951 rotates when the cut recording paper L is pulled out, so that the recording paper L can be peeled off from the contact part 95A more smoothly.

[0075] As in a second modified example shown in Fig. 13(B), the contact portion 95B of the peeling arm 91 may have a surface treatment portion 953 in which the contact portion 95B itself is surface-treated. Examples of the surface treatment portion 953 include adjusting the surface roughness of the contact portion 95B, or applying a coating of a low-friction material. By having the surface treatment portion 953 in this way, the contact portion 95B can hold the recording paper L in a state in which the adhesive force of the recording paper L is reduced. The surface treatment portion 953 may be provided in a configuration including a plurality of protrusions 95a, or may be provided on an end surface that is continuous in the Y-axis direction without including a plurality of protrusions 95a.

[0076] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a biasing member 85 according to a modified example, in which (A) is an enlarged perspective view showing the installation location of the biasing member 85, and (B) is a front view showing the operation of the biasing member 85. As shown in FIG. 14(A) and FIG. 14(B), the cutter unit 50 may include a biasing member 85 that elastically biases the cutter structure 80 downward. For example, the biasing member 85 may be a torsion spring having a coil portion 851 and a rod portion 852 protruding from the coil portion 851. In this case, the coil portion 851 is attached to a holding protrusion 86 provided on the cutter guide wall 52a, and the rod portion 852 presses the holding member 82 downward. The biasing member 85 presses the holding member 82 downward, thereby pressing the receiving plate portion 92 of each peeling arm 91, and it becomes possible to assist the rotation of each peeling arm 91 when returning to the peeling position. This allows the cutter unit 50 to more stably perform the rotation of each peeling arm 91.

[0077] The technical ideas and effects of the present disclosure explained in the above embodiments will be described below.

[0078] A first aspect of the present disclosure is a cutter unit 50 that cuts the recording paper L being transported, and includes a movable blade 81 that can move forward and backward relative to the recording paper L and cuts the recording paper L when moving forward, and a peeling mechanism 90 that has a contact portion 95 that moves in the opposite direction to the forward and backward movement of the movable blade 81 and comes into contact with the recording paper L.

[0079] As described above, in the cutter unit 50, the peeling mechanism 90 moves the contact portion 95 in the advancing direction of the movable blade 81 when the movable blade 81 retreats. As a result, even if a linerless label is attached to the movable blade 81, the moving peeling mechanism 90 can apply an external force to the linerless label. Therefore, the cutter unit 50 can stably prevent the linerless label from sticking to the movable blade 81.

[0080] The peeling mechanism 90 also includes a peeling arm 91 that is movable in the direction opposite to the advancing and retreating direction of the movable blade 81, and the peeling arm 91 is displaced between a peeling position where it comes into contact with the recording paper L and a retracted position where it is retracted in a direction away from the recording paper L from the peeling position. This allows the cutter unit 50 to prevent the linerless label from adhering to the recording paper L by using the peeling arm 91 disposed at the peeling position.

[0081] Moreover, the peeling arm 91 is displaced from the peeling position to the retracted position as the movable blade 81 advances, and is displaced from the retracted position to the peeling position as the movable blade 81 retreats. This allows the cutter unit 50 to satisfactorily peel the linerless label from the movable blade 81 by the peeling arm 91 when the peeling arm 91 is displaced from the retracted position to the peeling position.

[0082] Furthermore, when moving between the peeling position and the retracted position, the peeling arm 91 rotates along a plane perpendicular to the feed direction of the recording paper L. By rotating the peeling arm 91 in the direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the recording paper L in this manner, the cutter unit 50 can minimize the space required in the feed direction of the recording paper L.

[0083] The cutter unit 50 also includes a holding member 82 that holds the movable blade 81, and the peeling arm 91 maintains the peeling position by contacting the holding member 82 when the peeling arm 91 is located at the peeling position, and can be displaced to the retracted position by the movement of the holding member 82 in a direction away from the contact point. This allows the cutter unit 50 to easily maintain the orientation of the peeling arm 91 at the peeling position.

[0084] In addition, the cutter unit 50 has an elastic member 97 that presses the peeling arm 91 when the peeling arm 91 is displaced from the peeling position to the retracted position. This allows the cutter unit 50 to actively move the peeling arm 91 from the peeling position to the retracted position when the holding member 82 moves in a direction away from the lower end of the main frame 51.

[0085] The peeling arm 91 is displaced from the retracted position to the peeling position by the holding member 82 moving in a direction approaching the contact point with the holding member 82 and pressing the contact point of the peeling arm 91, and has a biasing member 85 that presses the holding member 82 in the direction approaching the contact point when displacing from the retracted position to the peeling position. This biasing member 85 allows the cutter unit 50 to more stably move the peeling arm 91 by the holding member 82 in the direction approaching the contact point.

[0086] Furthermore, the contact portion 95 is located closer to the recording paper L than the movable blade 81 in the peeling position, and is located farther from the recording paper L than the movable blade 81 in the retracted position. This allows the cutter unit 50 to satisfactorily peel off the linerless label by the contact portion 95 of the peeling arm 91, which is closer to the linerless label than the movable blade 81.

[0087] Furthermore, at the peeling position, the contact portion 95 is located between the upper edge of the holding member 82 that holds the movable blade 81 and the upper edge of the support that supports the holding member 82, and at the peeling position of the contact portion 95, the movable blade 81 is located farther from the recording paper L than the platen 60 that delivers the recording paper L and the contact portion 95. This allows the cutter unit 50 to peel the linerless label from the movable blade 81 while allowing the linerless label to be transported smoothly.

[0088] Furthermore, the contact portion 95 has a plurality of protrusions 95a at a location facing the recording paper L. This allows the contact portion 95 to peel off the linerless label while weakly adhering the peeled linerless label to the recording paper L.

[0089] Further, the contact portion 95A includes a roller 951 that is rotatably provided and can come into contact with the recording paper L. This allows the contact portion 95A to rotate the roller 951, thereby making it possible to easily pull out the attached linerless label.

[0090] Furthermore, the contact portion 95B includes a surface treatment portion 953 that reduces the adhesive strength of the recording paper L. Even in this case, the contact portion 95B can adhere the peeled linerless label with an appropriate adhesive strength, making it possible to easily pull out the recording paper L.

[0091] The peeling mechanism 90 also includes a pair of peeling arms 91 on the same plane, the peeling position being a position where the pair of peeling arms 91 are closest to each other, and the retracted position being a position where the pair of peeling arms 91 are furthest from each other. This allows the peeling mechanism 90 to more stably peel the linerless label with the pair of peeling arms 91.

[0092] The apparatus also has a support (main frame 51) that movably supports the movable blade 81 and the peeling mechanism 90, and the lower ends of the pair of peeling arms 91 are located adjacent to each other, and the pair of peeling arms 91 extend upward from the lower ends in directions away from each other, and peel the linerless label from the movable blade 81 at the upper ends. This allows the pair of peeling arms 91 to easily peel the linerless label from both outer edge sides.

[0093] Furthermore, the blade edge 81e of the movable blade 81 that cuts the recording paper L is formed in a V-shape along a direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the recording paper L. The V-shaped movable blade 81 can reliably cut the recording paper L, and the pair of peeling arms 91L can easily peel off the linerless label.

[0094] A second aspect of the present disclosure is a printer 1 that has a cutter unit 50 that cuts recording paper L and an operating section (cutter motor 12, cutter gear mechanism 40) that operates the cutter unit 50, and prints while feeding out the recording paper L, where the cutter unit 50 is capable of moving forward and backward relative to the recording paper L and is equipped with a movable blade 81 that cuts the recording paper L when moving forward, and a peeling mechanism 90 that has a contact section 95 that moves in the opposite direction to the forward and backward direction of the movable blade 81 and comes into contact with the recording paper L. Even in this case, the printer 1 can prevent the linerless label from sticking to the movable blade 81.

[0095] The cutter unit 50 and printer 1 according to the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The matters described in the above embodiments can be configured in other ways as long as they are not inconsistent, and can be combined as long as they are not inconsistent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 printer, 10 printer unit, 12 cutter motor, 40 cutter gear mechanism, 50 cutter unit, 51 main frame, 60 platen, 80 cutter structure, 81 movable blade, 90 peeling mechanism, 91 peeling arm, 92 receiving plate portion, 95 contact portion, L recording paper

Claims

1. A cutter unit that cuts the conveyed recording paper, a movable blade that can advance and retreat relative to the recording paper and cuts the recording paper when advanced; a peeling mechanism having a contact portion that moves in a direction opposite to the advancing and retracting direction of the movable blade and comes into contact with the recording paper, the peeling mechanism is displaced between a peeling position where it contacts the recording paper and a retracted position where it is retracted in a direction away from the recording paper than the peeling position; Cutter unit.

2. The peeling mechanism includes a peeling arm that is movable in a direction opposite to the advancing and retreating direction of the movable blade. The cutter unit according to claim 1 .

3. the peeling arm is displaced from the peeling position to the retracted position as the movable blade advances, and is displaced from the retracted position to the peeling position as the movable blade retreats; The cutter unit according to claim 2 .

4. the peeling arm rotates along a plane perpendicular to the paper feed direction when moving between the peeling position and the retracted position; The cutter unit according to claim 2 .

5. a holding member for holding the movable blade; the peeling arm is maintained at the peeling position by contact with the holding member while positioned at the peeling position, and is displaceable to the retracted position by movement of the holding member in a direction away from the contact point; The cutter unit according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. the contact portion is located closer to the recording paper than the movable blade at the peeling position, and is located farther from the recording paper than the movable blade at the retracted position; The cutter unit according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

7. the contact portion is located between an upper edge of a holding member that holds the movable blade and an upper edge of a support that supports the holding member at the peeling position; the movable blade is located at a position farther from the recording paper than the platen that feeds the recording paper and the contact portion when the movable blade is at the separation position of the contact portion; The cutter unit according to claim 6 .

8. The peeling mechanism includes: a pair of the peeling arms on the same plane; the peeling position is a position where the pair of peeling arms are closest to each other, The retracted position is a position where the pair of peeling arms are farthest from each other. The cutter unit according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

9. a support that movably supports the movable blade and the peeling mechanism, the lower ends of the pair of peeling arms are adjacent to each other, The pair of peeling arms extend upward from the lower end in directions away from each other, and peel the recording paper from the movable blade at their upper ends. The cutter unit according to claim 8.

10. A printer having a cutter unit that cuts recording paper and an operating unit that operates the cutter unit, and that performs printing while feeding the recording paper, The cutter unit includes: a movable blade that can advance and retreat relative to the recording paper and cuts the recording paper when advanced; a peeling mechanism having a contact portion that moves in a direction opposite to the advancing and retracting direction of the movable blade and comes into contact with the recording paper, the peeling mechanism is displaced between a peeling position where it contacts the recording paper and a retracted position where it is retracted in a direction away from the recording paper than the peeling position; Printer.

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