Printer and battery unit

Abstract

To provide a printer that can contribute to improving durability of a contact terminal that contacts a battery terminal, and a battery unit.SOLUTION: A placement surface 308 of a battery tray 300 supports a battery 39 so that the battery 39 can move between a first position P1 at a right side and a second position at a left side, on the placement surface 308. The placement surface 308 supports the battery 39 so that the battery is brought into a first attitude Q1, when the battery 39 is at the first position P1. The placement surface 308 supports the battery 39 so that the battery is brought into a second attitude, when the battery 39 is at the second position. The second attitude is an attitude in which the battery terminal 39A is positioned lower than when the battery is in the first attitude Q1. When the battery tray 300 is attached to the battery storage part, a pressing part 236 of a support wall presses the battery 39 to the right side, moves the battery 39 to the first position P1 and brings the battery into the first attitude Q1, so as to make the battery terminal 39A contact the contact terminal 225 from below.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer and a battery unit. [Background technology]

[0002] The battery tray of Patent Document 1 includes an opening and a contact terminal. The opening is provided at one end of the battery tray. The contact terminal is provided on a bottom surface of the inner surface of the battery tray that extends so as to intersect with the opening. A battery pack is inserted into the battery tray through the opening. When the battery pack is inserted into the battery tray, the battery terminal of the battery pack comes into contact with the contact terminal. In this case, the contact terminal is deflected toward the bottom surface due to a load from the battery terminal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-299149 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is conceivable that the above-mentioned battery tray is applied to a printer. When a battery pack is inserted into the battery housing of a printer, the battery terminal may come into contact with the contact terminal from the orthogonal direction perpendicular to the bending direction of the contact terminal, which may place a load on the contact terminal. For this reason, in a printer using the above-mentioned battery tray, the contact terminal may have poor contact or peeling, and problems may arise with the durability of the contact terminal that comes into contact with the battery terminal.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a printer and a battery unit which contribute to improving the durability of contact terminals that come into contact with battery terminals. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A printer according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a printing unit that is driven by power from a battery and prints on a medium, a housing having a battery storage section that opens in a first direction perpendicular to a vertical direction and is a space in which the battery is stored, a contact terminal that electrically connects to the printing unit, the contact terminal facing downward from a wall of the housing that defines the battery storage section and exposed to the battery storage section, and bending upward when contacted with a battery terminal provided on an upper surface of the battery, and a battery tray that has a mounting surface on which the battery is placed from above and can be attached to the battery storage section from the outside facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, the mounting surface being configured such that the battery is supported by the mounting surface and the battery is supported by the mounting surface. The battery is supported so that it can be moved on a surface between a first position on the first direction side and a second position on the second direction side, and the battery is supported so that when the battery is in the first position, the battery is in a first position, and when the battery is in the second position, the battery is in a second position in which the battery terminal is located lower than when in the first position, and the wall has a pressing portion that, when the battery tray is attached to the battery accommodating portion, presses the battery in the second position in the first direction to move the battery from the second position to the first position and to the first position, thereby bringing the battery terminal into contact with the contact terminal from below.

[0007] In the printer, the battery terminal of the battery contacts the contact terminal from below. In this case, the contact terminal receives a load from the battery terminal by bending upward. Therefore, the printer contributes to improving the durability of the contact terminal that contacts the battery terminal.

[0008] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, a first support portion may be provided at an end portion of the placement surface on the first direction side, protruding upward from the placement surface, and supporting the battery in the first position in the first orientation. The printer can support the battery in the first orientation with a simple configuration.

[0009] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the placement surface may include a second support portion provided at an end portion of the placement surface on the second direction side, protruding upward from the placement surface and supporting the battery in the second position in the second attitude. The printer can support the battery in the second attitude with a simple configuration.

[0010] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the battery tray may include a restricting portion disposed at an end of the battery tray on the first direction side and restricting movement of the battery from the second position to the first position. By restricting movement of the battery with the restricting portion, the battery tray can maintain the battery in the second position.

[0011] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the regulating portion may include a plate extending in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the first direction, a support member that rotatably supports the plate about a rotation axis extending in the perpendicular direction, and a biasing member that biases the plate in the second direction, and the plate may contact the battery in the second position from the first direction side. The regulating portion can maintain the second position of the battery by using the plate.

[0012] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the biasing member may bias the lower end of the plate toward the second direction, and the plate may be tilted downward as it moves toward the second direction due to the bias of the biasing member. In the printer, the end of the battery on the first direction side may rest on the plate. In this case, the battery slides in the second direction due to the plate tilted by the biasing member. Therefore, the plate can guide the position of the battery to the second position.

[0013] A printer according to a first aspect of the present invention may include a first support portion provided at an end of the placement surface on the first direction side, protruding upward from the placement surface, and supporting the battery in the first position in the first attitude, and the plate may be provided on the upper side of the first support portion and overlap the first support portion when viewed from above. In the printer, the battery is less likely to move to the first support portion due to the positional relationship between the plate and the first support portion. Therefore, the battery is more likely to maintain the second attitude in the second position.

[0014] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, an opening that opens in the second direction may be provided at an end of the battery tray on the second direction side, and the pressing portion may be inserted into the battery tray through the opening of the battery tray when the battery tray is attached to the battery storage portion. In the printer, since the pressing portion is inserted into the battery tray through the opening, it does not hinder movement of the battery tray in the second direction.

[0015] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the wall may be provided with a third support portion that supports an end portion of the battery facing the second direction in the first position. In the printer, the first support portion and the third support portion can maintain the battery in the first position.

[0016] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, a pair of guide rails extending in the second direction and guiding movement of the battery tray in the second direction may be provided on both side walls of the wall in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the up-down direction and the second direction, and the battery tray may have a pair of side walls extending upward from both ends of the placement surface in the orthogonal direction, and the pair of side walls may be provided with a pair of engagement portions extending in the second direction and slidably engaging with the pair of guide rails, respectively. The printer allows the movement of the battery tray in the battery storage section to be stable by the pair of guide rails and the pair of engagement portions. Furthermore, downward movement of the battery tray can be restricted by the engagement of the guide rails with the engagement portions.

[0017] The printer according to the first aspect of the present invention may further include a substrate that is provided in the housing and extends in a direction intersecting the downward direction, and the contact terminals may be mounted on a mounting surface on the downward side of the substrate. When a battery is attached to the printer, a load is applied from the battery terminal to the contact terminals. In this case, the printer can distribute the load applied to the contact terminals by the substrate that extends in a direction intersecting the downward direction. Therefore, the printer can improve the durability of the contact terminals.

[0018] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the board may extend perpendicular to the downward direction, so that the board of the printer can more appropriately distribute the load applied from the battery terminal to the contact terminal.

[0019] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the battery storage unit may be provided on the first plate on the lower side of the housing. The printer can accommodate a battery in the battery storage unit provided on the first plate on the lower side of the housing.

[0020] In the printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, an operating unit may be provided on the second plate on the upper side of the housing. By providing a battery storage section on the second plate opposite the first plate on which the operating unit is provided, the printer can prevent the operating unit from being damaged when the battery is attached.

[0021] A battery unit according to a second aspect of the present invention is a battery unit to be attached to a printer that is powered by power from a battery and has a printing section that prints on a medium, the battery unit comprising: a unit housing that opens in a first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and has a battery accommodating section that is a space in which the battery is accommodated; a contact terminal that electrically connects to the printing section, the contact terminal facing downward from a wall that defines the battery accommodating section of the unit housing and exposed to the battery accommodating section, and that bends upward when it comes into contact with a battery terminal provided on an upper surface of the battery; and a battery tray that has a mounting surface on which the battery is placed from above and can be attached to the battery accommodating section from the outside facing a second direction opposite to the first direction; The mounting surface supports the battery so that the battery is movable on the mounting surface between a first position on the first direction side and a second position on the second direction side, and supports the battery such that when the battery is in the first position, the battery is in a first position, and when the battery is in the second position, the battery is in a second position in which the battery terminal is located lower than when in the first position, and the wall has a pressing portion that, when the battery tray is attached to the battery accommodating portion, presses the battery in the second position in the first direction to move the battery from the second position to the first position and to the first position, thereby bringing the battery terminal into contact with the contact terminal from below.

[0022] The battery unit described above provides the same effects as the printer according to the first aspect. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the printer 1 and a battery unit 200. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of a battery unit 200 removed from a printer 1. FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view of the battery unit 200 as viewed from the lower front side. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of the battery tray 300 before it is inserted into the battery accommodating portion 233. FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of the arrow in a state in which a pressing portion 236 is pressing a battery 39 to the right. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of the battery tray 300 when it is attached to the battery housing portion 233. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the left and right, front and back, and top and bottom are indicated by arrows in the drawings. For the sake of convenience, the orientation of the printer 1 in the drawings will be described in the directions indicated by the arrows in the drawings.

[0025] Printer 1 is a thermal printer. Printer 1 is driven by power from an AC adapter (not shown), which is an external power source. Printer 1 is also driven by power from a battery 39 in a battery unit 200, which will be described later. Printer 1 can print characters such as letters and figures on a print medium (hereinafter referred to as "medium") based on print data.

[0026] The printer 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The printer 1 is a rectangular parallelepiped that is long in the front-to-rear direction. The printer 1 is made up of a printer housing 10 and an opening / closing cover 3. The printer housing 10 has a bottom plate 11, a front plate 12, a rear plate 13, a left plate 14, and a right plate 15. The printer housing 10 is box-shaped and opens upward.

[0027] An AC adapter jack 38 capable of receiving power from an AC adapter (not shown) is provided on the rear panel 13 of the printer housing 10. A mounting section 8 for mounting a medium is provided at the rear end of the printer housing 10. The mounting section 8 is provided with left and right support sections 81L, 81R. The support sections 81L, 81R rotatably support the medium wound in a roll.

[0028] A platen roller 18 is rotatably supported at the front end of the printer housing 10. The platen roller 18 extends in the left-right direction. The platen roller 18 rotates by power from a motor (not shown). The platen roller 18 transports the medium from the mounting section 8 toward the discharge outlet 9. The discharge outlet 9 is provided at the upper end of the front panel 12. The discharge outlet 9 extends in the left-right direction. The discharge outlet 9 discharges the printed medium to the outside of the printer housing 10.

[0029] The printer housing 10 is opened and closed by an opening / closing cover 3. The opening / closing cover 3 constitutes the upper end of the printer 1. An operation unit 4 is provided on the opening / closing cover 3. The operation unit 4 includes a key panel 5 and a display 6. The display 6 is disposed behind the key panel 5. The key panel 5 has physical keys capable of inputting information. The key panel 5 accepts operations by the user. The display 6 is, for example, a touch panel. The display 6 accepts operations by the user and displays information.

[0030] A thermal head 17 is provided at the front end of the opening / closing cover 3. The thermal head 17 extends in the left-right direction. The thermal head 17 is driven by power from, for example, a battery 39. During printing, the thermal head 17 faces the platen roller 18 from above. The thermal head 17 heats the medium between itself and the platen roller 18. As a result, characters are printed on the medium. The printed medium is discharged from the discharge port 9.

[0031] The battery unit 200 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. As shown in Figure 2, the battery unit 200 is detachable from the bottom plate 11 of the printer housing 10. The battery unit 200 includes a unit housing 210. The unit housing 210 includes a bottom plate 211, a front plate 212, a rear plate 213, a left plate 214, a right plate 215, and an upper plate 216. The unit housing 210 is configured in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped that is long in the front-rear direction.

[0032] The unit housing 210 has a battery accommodating section 233. The battery accommodating section 233 is a rectangular parallelepiped space extending in the left-right direction, and a battery tray 300 on which a battery 39 is placed is attached. Therefore, the battery 39 is accommodated in the space of the battery accommodating section 233. The battery accommodating section 233 is formed by recessing the center of the bottom plate 211 toward the upper plate 216. The battery accommodating section 233 has a center in the front-rear direction that opens downward and to the right. Since the battery unit 200 is attached to the bottom plate 11 of the printer 1, the battery accommodating section 233 is provided on the lower side of the printer housing 10.

[0033] 3, the space of the battery housing section 233 is defined by walls such as a front wall 252, a rear wall 253, a left wall 254, an upper wall 256, and a support wall 218. An opening 235 that opens in the vertical direction is provided at the right end of the upper wall 256. A hook engagement portion 261 that engages with a hook 361 described below is provided at the front end of the upper wall 256.

[0034] A board 221 is disposed between the upper plate 216 and the upper wall 256 of the unit housing 210 (see FIG. 4). The board 221 extends perpendicularly downward. That is, the board 221 is plate-shaped extending in the front-rear and left-right directions. The contact terminal 225 is mounted on a mounting surface 224 on the lower side of the board 221. A plurality of contact terminals 225 are provided and lined up in the front-rear direction. The contact terminals 225 face downward from the opening 235 and are exposed to the battery accommodating section 233. In the left-right direction, the contact terminal 225 is located on the right side of the center of the battery accommodating section 233 in the battery accommodating section 233. The contact terminal 225 is capable of coming into contact with a battery terminal 39A of the battery 39.

[0035] The contact terminal 225 of the board 221 is electrically connected to a board (not shown) of the printer 1 by a harness 330 (see FIG. 2). That is, the contact terminal 225 is electrically connected to the operation unit 4, the thermal head 17, the platen roller 18, etc. via the board (not shown) of the printer 1. Therefore, the printer 1 can be driven by the power of the battery 39.

[0036] A pair of guide rails 242, 243 are provided on the front wall 252 and the rear wall 253, respectively. The guide rails 242, 243 extend in the left-right direction. The guide rail 242 protrudes rearward from the front wall 252. The guide rail 243 protrudes forward from the rear wall 253. The guide rails 242, 243 guide the left-right movement of the battery tray 300, which will be described later.

[0037] The support wall 218 extends rightward from the lower end of the left plate 214 and from the center in the front-rear direction. The support wall 218 is a rectangular plate. The front end of the support wall 218 is separated from the front wall 252 by a predetermined distance. The rear end of the support wall 218 is separated from the rear wall 253 by a predetermined distance.

[0038] A pair of plate members 219, 219 are provided at both ends of the support wall 218 in the front-rear direction. The front plate member 219 is provided at the front end of the support wall 218. The front plate member 219 is an L-shaped plate when viewed from the front side. A portion of the L-shaped portion that extends in the vertical direction is called a pressing portion 236. A portion of the L-shaped portion that extends in the horizontal direction is called a third support portion 237. The first support portion 321 and the second support portion 322 will be described later. The height of the upper end of the third support portion 237 is the same as the height of the upper end of the first support portion 321. The rear plate member 219 is provided at the rear end of the support wall 218. The configuration of the rear plate member 219 is the same as the configuration of the front plate member 219. Therefore, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0039] The battery tray 300 will be described with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The battery tray 300 is attached to the battery storage portion 233. The battery tray 300 includes a tray housing 310, a first support portion 321, a second support portion 322, and a restricting portion 350 (see Fig. 4). The tray housing 310 includes a bottom plate 311, a front plate 312, a rear plate 313, left plates 314F, 314R, and a right plate 315 (see Fig. 3). The tray housing 310 opens upward.

[0040] The bottom plate 311 is rectangular. The left end of the bottom plate 311 is recessed to the right at the center in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 3). The shape of the recessed portion corresponds to the shape of the support wall 218. The upper surface of the bottom plate 311 is called the mounting surface 308. The mounting surface 308 extends so as to intersect with the lower side. In detail, the mounting surface 308 slopes downward as it goes to the right.

[0041] The battery 39 is placed on the placement surface 308 from above. A battery terminal 39A of the battery 39 is disposed on the upper surface of the battery 39. The left-right length of the placement surface 308 is slightly longer than the left-right length of the battery 39. A pair of abutment plates 371, 371 (see FIG. 4) are provided on the placement surface 308. The front abutment plate 371 extends upward from the right and front end of the placement surface 308. The rear abutment plate 371 extends upward from the right and rear end of the placement surface 308.

[0042] A hook 361 is provided at the upper end of the right plate 315. The hook 361 protrudes to the left. The hook 361 is engageable with the hook engagement portion 261. A left plate 314F is provided at the left end and front end of the bottom plate 311. A left plate 314R is provided at the left end and rear end of the bottom plate 311. The left plate 314F is spaced forward from the left plate 314R. As a result, an opening 360 that opens to the left is formed at the left end of the battery tray 300.

[0043] The front plate 312 and the rear plate 313 are provided with a pair of engagement portions 382, ​​383 (see FIG. 3), respectively. The pair of engagement portions 382, ​​383 extend in the left-right direction. The engagement portion 382 of the front plate 312 is recessed toward the rear. The engagement portion 383 of the rear plate 313 is recessed toward the front. The pair of engagement portions 382, ​​383 slidably engage with the pair of guide rails 242, 243, respectively.

[0044] The first support portion 321 is provided at the right end of the placement surface 308. The first support portion 321 protrudes upward from the center of the placement surface 308 in the front-rear direction. The first support portion 321 inclines upward from the left end of the first support portion 321 toward the center, and the first support portion 321 is parallel to the left-right direction from the center to the right end. The second support portion 322 is provided at the left end of the placement surface 308. The second support portion 322 protrudes upward and extends in the front-rear direction. The position of the upper end of the second support portion 322 is the same height as the upper end of the first support portion 321. In addition, the position of the upper end of the second support portion 322 is higher than the placement surface 308.

[0045] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the restricting portion 350 is provided at the right end portion of the battery tray 300. The restricting portion 350 constitutes a hinge. The restricting portion 350 restricts the movement of the battery 39. Details will be described later. The restricting portion 350 has a shape symmetrical from front to back. The restricting portion 350 includes a pair of support plates 333, 333, a pair of storage portions 355, 355, a plate 351, and a pair of biasing members 357, 357.

[0046] The front support plate 333 (see FIG. 3) extends leftward from the front end of the front plate 312. A support hole 325 (see FIG. 3) is provided in the front support plate 333. The support hole 325 penetrates the front support plate 333 in the front-rear direction. The rear support plate 333 (see FIG. 3) extends leftward from the rear end of the rear plate 313. A support hole 325 (see FIG. 3) is provided in the rear support plate 333. The rear support hole 325 penetrates the rear support plate 333 in the front-rear direction. A rotating shaft 366 is supported by the pair of support plates 333, 333. The rotating shaft 366 extends in the front-rear direction.

[0047] The pair of accommodating portions 355, 355 are rectangular when viewed from the front (see FIG. 4). The front accommodating portion 355 is provided on the rear side of the front support plate 333. The front accommodating portion 355 is rotatably supported on the front end of the rotating shaft 366. The rear accommodating portion 355 is provided on the front side of the rear support plate 333. The rear accommodating portion 355 is rotatably supported on the rear end of the rotating shaft 366.

[0048] The pair of storage sections 355, 355 each have a storage space therein. Abutment sections 358, 359 (see FIG. 4) are arranged side by side on the left and right at the lower left of the storage space of the pair of storage sections 355, respectively. The abutment sections 358, 359 extend in the front-rear direction within the storage space. The abutment sections 358, 359 are cylindrical. The pair of abutment plates 371, 371 of the placement surface 308 are arranged within the storage space of the pair of storage sections 355, 355, respectively.

[0049] A pair of urging members 357 (see FIG. 4) are housed in the housing spaces of the pair of housing portions 355. The pair of urging members 357 are, for example, torsion springs. The urging members 357 have an annular portion, and extend from the left end of the annular portion to the lower left and from the right end of the annular portion to the lower right. For example, the annular portion of the rear urging member 357 shown in FIG. 4 is inserted into the rear end of the rotating shaft 366. The lower left end of the rear urging member 357 is disposed between the abutment portions 358 and 359. The lower right end of the rear urging member 357 abuts against the abutment plate 371 from the left. Therefore, the rear housing portion 355 is restricted from rotating in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from the front. The front housing portion 355 has a similar structure, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0050] The plate 351 extends in the front-rear direction between the pair of housing parts 355, 355. The plate 351 inclines downward as it moves leftward. The plate 351 rotates around the rotation shaft 366 together with the pair of housing parts 355, 355. The plate 351 is provided above the first support part 321, and is arranged overlapping the first support part 321 when viewed from above. The plate 351 is restricted from rotating in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from the front by the biasing force of the pair of biasing members 357, 357. Since the lower end of the plate 351 is arranged below the rotation shaft 366, the lower end of the plate 351 is biased leftward by the biasing members 357, 357.

[0051] The first position P1 and the second position P2 of the battery 39 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. The battery 39 is movable to the right and left on the placement surface 308. The position of the battery 39 arranged on the right side of the placement surface 308 is called the first position P1 (see Figure 6). The position of the battery 39 arranged on the left side of the placement surface 308 is called the second position P2 (see Figure 4).

[0052] The first posture Q1 and the second posture Q2 of the battery 39 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 6. The first posture Q1 (see Figure 6) is the posture of the battery 39 when the battery 39 is in the first position P1. When the battery 39 is in the first position P1, the right end of the battery 39 is supported by the first support part 321. Also, the left end of the battery 39 is supported by the third support part 237. Since the first support part 321 and the third support part 237 have the same height in the up-down direction, the battery 39 in the first posture Q1 is parallel to the left-right direction.

[0053] The second posture Q2 (see FIG. 4) is the posture of the battery 39 when the battery 39 is in the second position P2. The left end of the battery 39 is supported by the second support part 322. The right end of the battery 39 is supported by the right end of the placement surface 308. Since the position of the second support part 322 is higher than the position of the placement surface 308 in the up-down direction, the right end of the battery 39 is disposed below the left end of the battery 39. Therefore, in the second posture Q2, the battery 39 is inclined downward and rightward.

[0054] When the first position Q1 is compared with the second position Q2, the battery terminal 39A of the battery 39 in the first position Q1 is disposed above the position of the battery terminal 39A of the battery 39 in the second position Q2.

[0055] 4 to 6, the installation of the battery 39 performed by the user will be described. In the following description, it is assumed that the battery unit 200 is installed on the bottom plate 11 of the printer 1, the battery tray 300 is removed from the battery storage section 233, and the battery 39 is not placed on the battery tray 300.

[0056] 4, the user places the battery 39 on the placement surface 308 of the battery tray 300. In this case, the user sets the position of the battery 39 to the second position P2 with respect to the battery tray 300. The attitude of the battery 39 becomes the second attitude Q2.

[0057] In this case, the restricting portion 350 restricts the movement of the battery 39 to the right from the second position P2. In detail, the lower end of the plate 351 of the restricting portion 350 can abut against the right end of the battery 39. Since the lower end of the plate 351 is biased to the left by the biasing members 357, 357, the movement of the battery 39 to the right is restricted. Therefore, in the second position P2, the battery 39 is maintained in the second posture Q2.

[0058] The user inserts the battery tray 300 into the battery accommodating section 233 from the left (see arrow A in FIG. 4). In this case, the user engages the engagement portions 382, ​​383 of the battery tray 300 with the guide rails 242, 243 of the battery accommodating section 233, respectively. This allows the user to stably move the battery tray 300 to the left. Furthermore, the user moves the battery tray 300 to the left of the battery accommodating section 233.

[0059] 5, the left end of the battery 39 in the second posture Q2 abuts against the pair of pressing portions 236, 236. This restricts the leftward movement of the battery 39 within the battery housing portion 233. In this case, the left end of the battery 39 is supported by the pair of third support portions 237, 237.

[0060] With the pressing portion 236 in contact with the battery 39, the user moves the battery tray 300 further to the left. In this case, the pressing portion 236 is inserted into the battery tray 300 through the opening 360. Since the pressing portion 236 restricts the leftward movement of the battery 39, the battery 39 moves to the right relative to the battery tray 300. That is, the battery 39 moves from the second position P2 toward the first position P1 due to the pressing portions 236, 236. Such restriction of the leftward movement of the battery 39 by the pressing portions 236, 236 is also referred to as pressing the battery 39 to the right by the pressing portions 236, 236.

[0061] In the process of moving to the first position P1, the right end of the battery 39 comes into contact with the plate 351 of the restricting portion 350 from the left. The battery 39 moves to the right against the leftward biasing force of the biasing members 357, 357 of the restricting portion 350. The right end of the battery 39 is guided to the first support portion 321. The battery 39 moves smoothly to the right due to the inclination of the first support portion 321. In other words, the battery 39 moves from the second position P2 to the first position P1 due to the pressing of the battery 39 to the right by the pressing portions 236, 236. In addition, the plate 351 of the restricting portion 350 rotates counterclockwise together with the pair of storage portions 355, 355 when viewed from the front side.

[0062] 6, in the process of the battery 39 moving from the second position P2 to the first position P1, the battery 39 is pressed rightward by the pressing portions 236, 236, causing the battery 39 to change from the second position Q2 to the first position Q1. As a result, the battery terminal 39A of the battery 39 is moved upward by the first support portion 321. Therefore, the battery terminal 39A of the battery 39 comes into contact with the contact terminal 225 exposed in the battery housing portion 233 from below. The contact terminal 225 is bent upward.

[0063] When the battery tray 300 is accommodated in the battery accommodating portion 233, the hook 361 of the battery tray 300 engages with the hook engaging portion 261. Also, the left surface of the plate 351 of the regulating portion 350 abuts against the right end portion of the battery 39. Meanwhile, the left surface of the battery 39 is positioned by the pressing portion 326. This restricts the position of the battery 39 in the left-right direction. That is, the battery 39 is maintained in the first position P1.

[0064] In this manner, the battery 39 is replaced. When removing the battery tray 300 from the battery housing portion 233, the user only needs to carry out the above-described operations in reverse.

[0065] As described above, the battery tray 300 can be attached to the battery accommodating section 233 from the outside of the printer 1 toward the left. The placement surface 308 supports the battery 39 so that the battery 39 can move between a first position P1 on the right side and a second position P2 on the left side on the placement surface 308. When the battery 39 is in the first position P1, the battery 39 is in a first position Q1. When the battery 39 is in the second position P2, the battery 39 is in a second position Q2 in which the battery terminal 39A is located lower than when in the first position Q1. The support wall 218 has a pressing portion 236. When the battery tray 300 is attached to the battery accommodating section 233, the pressing portion 236 presses the battery 39 in the second position P2 to the right to move the battery 39 from the second position P2 to the first position P1 and to the first position Q1. The pressing portion 236 brings the battery terminal 39A into contact with the contact terminal 225 from below.

[0066] In the printer 1, the battery terminal 39A of the battery 39 contacts the contact terminal 225 from below. In this case, the contact terminal 225 receives a load from the battery terminal 39A by bending upward. With this contact method, the battery terminal 39A is unlikely to contact the contact terminal 225 from the right, for example, and an excessive load is unlikely to be applied to the contact terminal 225. Therefore, the printer 1 contributes to improving the durability of the contact terminal 225 that contacts the battery terminal 39A.

[0067] The first support portion 321 is provided at the right end portion of the placement surface 308. The first support portion 321 protrudes upward from the placement surface 308. The first support portion 321 supports the battery 39 in the first position P1 in a first attitude Q1. The printer 1 can support the battery 39 in the first attitude Q1 with a simple configuration.

[0068] The second support portion 322 is provided at the left end of the placement surface 308. The second support portion 322 protrudes upward from the placement surface 308. The second support portion 322 supports the battery 39 in the second position P2 in the second attitude Q2. The printer 1 can support the battery 39 in the second attitude Q2 with a simple configuration.

[0069] The battery tray 300 includes a restricting portion 350. The restricting portion 350 is disposed at the right end portion of the battery tray 300. The restricting portion 350 restricts movement of the battery 39 from the second position P2 to the first position P1. The battery tray 300 can maintain the second attitude Q2 of the battery 39 by restricting the movement of the battery 39 with the restricting portion 350.

[0070] The regulating portion 350 includes a plate 351, a storage portion 355, and a biasing member 357. The plate 351 extends in the front-rear direction. The storage portion 355 supports the plate 351 so that the plate 351 can rotate about rotation shafts 366, 366 extending in the front-rear direction. The biasing member 357 biases the plate 351 leftward. The plate 351 comes into contact with the battery 39 in the second position Q2 from the right side. The regulating portion 350 can maintain the second position Q2 of the battery 39 by the plate 351.

[0071] The biasing member 357 biases the lower end of the plate 351 toward the left. The plate 351 is tilted downward as it moves toward the left due to the bias of the biasing member 357. In the printer 1, the right end of the battery 39 may rest on the plate 351. In this case, the plate 351 tilted by the biasing member 357 causes the battery 39 to slide to the left. Therefore, the plate 351 can guide the position of the battery 39 to the second position P2.

[0072] The first support portion 321 is provided at the right end of the placement surface 308. The first support portion 321 protrudes upward from the placement surface 308. The first support portion 321 supports the battery 39 at the first position P1 in a first attitude Q1. The plate 351 is provided above the first support portion 321. When viewed from above, the plate 351 is disposed so as to overlap the first support portion 321. In the printer 1, due to the positional relationship between the plate 351 and the first support portion 321, the battery 39 is unlikely to move to the first support portion 321. Therefore, the battery 39 is likely to maintain the second attitude Q2 at the second position P2.

[0073] An opening 360 that opens to the left is provided at the left end of the battery tray 300. When the battery tray 300 is attached to the battery housing portion 233, the pressing portion 236 is inserted into the inside of the battery tray 300 through the opening 360 of the battery tray 300. In the printer 1, the pressing portion 236 is inserted into the inside of the battery tray 300 through the opening 360, so does not hinder the movement of the battery tray 300 to the left.

[0074] A third support portion 237 is provided on the support wall 218. The third support portion 237 supports a left end portion of the battery 39 in the first position Q1. In the printer 1, the first support portion 321 and the third support portion 237 can maintain the battery 39 in the first position Q1.

[0075] A pair of guide rails 242, 243 are provided on the front plate 212 and the rear plate 213. The pair of guide rails 242, 243 each extend leftward and guide the leftward movement of the battery tray 300. The battery tray 300 includes a front plate 312 and a rear plate 313 each extending upward from both ends of the placement surface 308 in the front-rear direction. A pair of engagement portions 382, ​​383 are provided on the front plate 312 and the rear plate 313, respectively. The pair of engagement portions 382, ​​383 extend leftward and slidably engage with the pair of guide rails 242, 243, respectively. The pair of guide rails 242, 243 and the pair of engagement portions 382, ​​383 enable the printer 1 to stably move the battery tray 300 in the battery storage section 233. Furthermore, downward movement of the battery tray 300 can be restricted by the guide rails 242, 243 engaging with the engagement portions 382, ​​383, respectively.

[0076] The board 221 extends perpendicularly downward. The board 221 of the printer 1 can distribute the load applied from the battery terminal 39A to the contact terminal 225 more appropriately.

[0077] The battery storage section 233 is provided on the lower side of the printer housing 10. The printer 1 can store a battery 39 in the battery storage section 233 provided on the lower side of the housing.

[0078] An operation unit 4 is provided on the opening / closing cover 3 on the upper side of the housing. By providing a battery storage section 233 on the bottom plate 211 on the opposite side of the opening / closing cover 3 on which the operation unit 4 is provided, the printer 1 can prevent the operation unit 4 from being damaged when the battery 39 is attached.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the right side corresponds to the "first direction" of the present invention. The left side corresponds to the "second direction" of the present invention. The front-rear direction corresponds to the "orthogonal direction" of the present invention. The thermal head 17 corresponds to the "printing unit" of the present invention. The printer housing 10 and the unit housing 210 correspond to the "housing" of the present invention. The upper wall 256 and the support wall 218 correspond to the "wall" of the present invention. The plate 351 corresponds to the "plate" of the present invention. The bottom plate 211 corresponds to the "first plate" of the present invention. The opening / closing cover 3 corresponds to the "second plate" of the present invention. The front wall 252 and the rear wall 253 correspond to the "both side walls". The front plate 312 and the rear plate 313 correspond to the "pair of side walls" of the present invention. The support plate 333 and the storage section 355 correspond to the "support member" of the present invention.

[0080] The above embodiment can be further modified in various ways as described below. The various modified examples described below can be combined with each other as long as no contradictions arise. In the above embodiment, the printer 1 is a thermal printer, but this is not limited to this. For example, the printer 1 may be an inkjet printer. In the above embodiment, the medium is wound in a roll and loaded into the loading unit 8, but this is not limited to this. For example, the printer 1 may be one that supplies fanfold paper from an external source. The printer 1 in the above embodiment is an approximately rectangular parallelepiped, but this is not limited to this. The shape of the printer 1 may be modified as appropriate.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the printer 1 can be driven by an AC adapter, which is an external power source, but this is not limited to the above. For example, a USB PD (USB Power Delivery) may be used as the external power source. Also, the printer 1 does not have to be driven by an external power source. In this case, the printer 1 does not have to have an AC adapter jack 38.

[0082] The printer 1 of the above embodiment may be provided with a handle that the user can hold. In this case, the user holds the handle and tilts the printer 1. In this state, the user may insert the battery tray 300 into the battery housing section 233. In this way, the user can operate the printer 1 while using the handle.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the battery unit 200 is attached to the printer 1, but this is not limiting. For example, the printer housing 10 and the unit housing 210 of the printer 1 may be an integrated housing. The battery tray 300 may be provided in the integrated housing. In this case, the battery storage section 233 may be provided on a lower plate of the integrated housing, and the operation section 4 may be provided on an upper plate of the integrated housing. The opening and closing cover 3 may or may not be provided.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the battery unit 200 is attached to the bottom plate 11 of the printer 1, but this is not limited thereto. The battery unit 200 may be attached to any of the front plate 12, rear plate 13, left plate 14, or right plate 15 of the printer 1. The battery unit 200 may also be attachable to the opening / closing cover 3 of the printer 1. The direction in which the battery tray 300 is inserted may be changed as appropriate. In this case, the direction in which the battery terminal 39A contacts the contact terminal 225 corresponds to the "upward" of the present invention.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the battery accommodating section 233 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but is not limited to this. The shape of the battery accommodating section 233 may be changed as appropriate depending on the shapes of the battery 39 and the battery tray 300. The battery accommodating section 233 opens downward and to the right, but is not limited to this. For example, the battery accommodating section 233 may open only to the right.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the contact terminal 225 is provided at the right end of the battery housing portion 233, but this is not limiting. For example, the contact terminal 225 may be provided at the left end side of the battery housing portion 233. In this case, the battery 39 may be placed on the battery tray 300 with the left-right direction reversed from that in the above embodiment.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the pair of plate members 219, 219 are bilaterally symmetrical, but this is not limited thereto. The plate members 219, 219 may have different shapes. Furthermore, the pair of plate members 219, 219 may be one. It is sufficient that at least the pressing portion 236 can press the battery 39 to the right.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the pressing portion 236 is provided on the support wall 218, but this is not limiting. For example, the pressing portion 236 may extend downward from the upper wall 256 to restrict movement of the battery 39. The pressing portion 236 may also extend from the front wall 252 or the rear wall 253 into the battery housing portion 233. In this case, the position of the opening 360 may be changed as appropriate.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the first position Q1 of the battery 39 is supported by the first support portion 321 and the third support portion 237, but this is not limited thereto. These configurations may be changed as appropriate. In the above embodiment, the first support portion 321 is provided at the front end and center of the placement surface 308, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the first support portion 321 may be provided at the front end of the placement surface 308 across the front-rear direction. In this case, the length of the first support portion 321 in the front-rear direction may be adjusted as appropriate. In the above embodiment, the front plate member 219 is configured by the third support portion 237 and the pressing portion 236, but this is not limited thereto. The third support portion 237 and the pressing portion 236 may be provided separately.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the second attitude Q2 of the battery 39 is supported by the second support portion 322 and the placement surface 308, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the battery 39 may be supported in the second attitude Q2 by a non-inclined placement surface 308 and the second support portion 322. The position of the second support portion 322 relative to the placement surface 308 may be appropriately adjusted. The second support portion 322 may not be necessary. The battery 39 may be in the second attitude Q2 by only the placement surface 308.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the board 221 extends in a direction perpendicular to the downward direction, but this is not limited thereto. The board 221 may extend in a direction other than perpendicular to the downward direction, so as to intersect the downward direction. The contact terminal 225 is mounted on the mounting surface 224 on the lower side of the board 221. When the battery 39 is attached to the printer 1, a load is applied from the battery terminal 39A to the contact terminal 225. In this case, the printer 1 can distribute the load applied to the contact terminal 225 by the board 221 extending in a direction intersecting the downward direction. Therefore, the printer 1 can improve the durability of the contact terminal 225.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the operation unit 4 is configured with the key panel 5 and the display 6, but is not limited to this. For example, the operation unit 4 may be only the key panel 5 or only the display 6. The display 6 does not have to be a touch panel. The arrangement of the key panel 5 and the display 6 may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, the operation unit 4 does not have to be present. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1. Printer 4 Control section 5 Key Panel 6. Touch Panel 10 Printer housing 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 boards 17 Thermal head 39 Battery 39A Battery Terminal 200 Battery Unit 210 Unit Chassis 211, 213, 213, 214, 215, 216 board 221 Substrate 224 Mounting surface 225 Contact terminal 233 Battery compartment 236 Pressing part 243, 243 guide rail 252, 253, 254, 256, 218 Wall 300 Battery Tray 310 Tray Case 308 Placement surface 311, 312, 313, 314, 315 board 321 First support part 322 Second support part 327 Third support part 350 Regulatory Department 355 Storage unit 351 board 357 Pressurizing member 360 Opening 366 Rotating Axis 382, 383 Engagement part P1 First position P2 Second position Q1 First posture Q2 Second posture

Claims

1. a printing unit that is driven by power from a battery and prints on a medium; a housing having an opening in a first direction perpendicular to a vertical direction and including a battery housing portion that is a space for housing the battery; a contact terminal electrically connected to the printing unit, the contact terminal extending downward from a wall of the housing that defines the battery storage unit and exposed to the battery storage unit, and bending upward when contacted with a battery terminal provided on an upper surface of the battery; a battery tray having a mounting surface on which the battery is mounted from above and capable of being attached to the battery accommodating portion from the outside in a second direction opposite to the first direction; Equipped with The placement surface is the battery is supported on the placement surface so as to be movable between a first position on the first direction side and a second position on the second direction side; supporting the battery such that the battery is in a first posture when the battery is in the first position, and is in a second posture when the battery is in the second position, the battery terminal being in a lower position than when the battery is in the first posture; The wall is When the battery tray is attached to the battery storage portion, the battery tray presses the battery in the second position in the first direction to move the battery from the second position to the first position and to the first attitude, thereby bringing the battery terminal into contact with the contact terminal from below. A printer characterized by:

2. a first support portion provided at an end portion of the placement surface on the first direction side, protruding upward from the placement surface, and supporting the battery in the first position in the first attitude; 2. The printer according to claim 1.

3. The placement surface is a second support portion provided at an end portion of the mounting surface on the second direction side, protruding upward from the mounting surface, and supporting the battery in the second position in the second attitude; 3. The printer according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The battery tray includes: a restricting portion that is disposed at an end portion of the battery tray on the first direction side and restricts movement of the battery from the second position to the first position; 2. The printer according to claim 1.

5. The regulating portion is A plate extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the first direction; a support member that supports the plate rotatably about a rotation axis extending in the perpendicular direction; a biasing member that biases the plate in the second direction; Equipped with The plate contacts the battery in the second position from the first direction side.

5. The printer according to claim 4.

6. The biasing member biases the lower end of the plate in the second direction, The plate is inclined downward as it moves in the second direction due to the bias of the biasing member.

6. The printer according to claim 5.

7. a first support portion provided at an end portion of the placement surface on the first direction side, protruding upward from the placement surface, and supporting the battery in the first position in the first attitude; The plate is provided on the upper side of the first support portion and is arranged to overlap the first support portion when viewed from the upper side.

7. The printer according to claim 6.

8. An opening that opens in the second direction is provided at an end of the battery tray on the second direction side, The pressing portion is inserted into the battery tray through the opening of the battery tray when the battery tray is attached to the battery storage portion.

2. The printer according to claim 1.

9. The wall is provided with a third support portion that supports an end portion of the battery on the second direction side in the first position.

3. The printer according to claim 2.

10. A pair of guide rails extending in the second direction and guiding the movement of the battery tray in the second direction are provided on both side walls of the wall in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the second direction, the battery tray includes a pair of side walls each extending upward from both ends of the placement surface in the perpendicular direction, The pair of side walls are provided with a pair of engagement portions that extend in the second direction and slidably engage with the pair of guide rails, respectively.

2. The printer according to claim 1.

11. a substrate provided in the housing and extending so as to intersect with the lower portion; The contact terminal is mounted on the lower mounting surface of the substrate.

2. The printer according to claim 1.

12. The substrate extends perpendicular to the lower surface. The printer according to claim 11 .

13. The battery storage section is provided on the first plate on the lower side of the housing.

2. The printer according to claim 1.

14. An operation unit is provided on the second plate on the upper side of the housing.

14. The printer of claim 13.

15. A battery unit to be attached to a printer having a printing unit that is driven by power from a battery and prints on a medium, a unit housing having an opening in a first direction perpendicular to a vertical direction and including a battery housing portion that is a space for housing the battery; a contact terminal electrically connected to the printing section, the contact terminal extending downward from a wall of the unit housing that defines the battery housing section and exposed to the battery housing section, and bending upward when contacted with a battery terminal provided on an upper surface of the battery; a battery tray having a mounting surface on which the battery is mounted from above and capable of being attached to the battery accommodating portion from the outside in a second direction opposite to the first direction; Equipped with The placement surface is the battery is supported on the placement surface so as to be movable between a first position on the first direction side and a second position on the second direction side; supporting the battery such that the battery is in a first posture when the battery is in the first position, and is in a second posture when the battery is in the second position, the battery terminal being in a lower position than when the battery is in the first posture; The wall is When the battery tray is attached to the battery storage portion, the battery tray presses the battery in the second position in the first direction to move the battery from the second position to the first position and to the first attitude, thereby bringing the battery terminal into contact with the contact terminal from below. A battery unit characterized by:

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