Printer

Abstract

To provide a printer which can stably hold a touch panel unit in an open state at a prescribed rotation angle and can easily close the touch panel unit by rotating the touch panel unit.SOLUTION: A printer 1 includes: a body having a head unit 9 therein; a display section 8 which has a touch panel display 82 and is rotatable about a prescribed shaft with respect to an upper section of the body; a support mechanism for supporting the display section 8, the support mechanism having a latch 62 which has steps 621, 622, 623 and rotates in accordance with rotation of the display section 8 and a stopper 66 which can be engaged with the steps 621, 622, 623 of the latch 62 and regulates rotation of the latch 62 in a state of being engaged with the steps 621, 622, 623; and a lever 67 which switches the stopper 66 from the engaged state in which the stopper is engaged with the steps 621, 622, 623 to a release state in which the stopper is not engaged with the steps.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer provided with a touch panel.

Background Art

[0002] Printers provided with a touch panel are known. In the label making device described in Patent Document 1, a cover unit having a touch panel portion and a liquid crystal panel portion is provided. The liquid crystal panel portion is rotatably connected to the touch panel portion. Thereby, the liquid crystal panel portion can be opened and closed with respect to the touch panel portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A display provided with a touch panel (hereinafter referred to as a touch panel unit) may be rotatably connected to a housing. In this case, it is preferable that the touch panel unit be stably held at a predetermined rotation angle so that the touch panel unit does not rotate even when the user performs a touch operation on the open touch panel unit. On the other hand, when the user closes the touch panel unit after the use of the printer, it is preferable that the touch panel unit can be easily rotated to the closed state.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a printer that can stably hold an open touch panel unit at a predetermined rotation angle and can be easily closed by rotating the touch panel unit.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The printer according to the present invention includes a housing having a printing unit inside, a touch panel unit including at least a touch panel, the touch panel unit being rotatable about a predetermined axis with respect to the upper part of the housing, and a support mechanism for supporting the touch panel unit, the support mechanism having at least one step, a latch that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the touch panel, and a stopper that can engage with the step of the latch and restricts the rotation of the latch in a state of being engaged with the step. The support mechanism is characterized by further including a lever for switching the stopper from an engaged state of engaging with the step to a released state of not engaging.

[0007] In the present invention, the printer can restrict the rotation of the touch panel unit by restricting the rotation of the latch with the stopper in the engaged state. Therefore, the printer can stably hold the touch panel unit in the raised state at a predetermined rotation position. Further, the printer can make the touch panel unit rotatable by not restricting the rotation of the latch with the stopper in the released state. Therefore, the printer can easily tilt the touch panel unit by rotating it.

[0008] In the present invention, the stopper is at least provided at the center position of the housing in the extending direction of the axis, and the lever may be provided at the center position of the housing in the extending direction of the axis. In this case, the stopper can stably restrict the rotation of the touch panel unit at the center in the extending direction of the axis. Further, since the position of the lever coincides with the position of the stopper in the extending direction of the axis, the state of the stopper can be efficiently switched by the lever.

[0009] In the present invention, the lever may protrude upward from the boundary portion between the support portion supported by the housing by the support mechanism and the housing in the touch panel unit. In this case, it is possible to prevent the lever from interfering with the operation when the user performs various operations on the printer.

[0010] In the present invention, the latch has a groove, and a part of the lever may be disposed in a space surrounded by the groove. In this case, it is possible to prevent the lever from interfering with the latch.

[0011] In the present invention, in the vertical direction, the upper end of the lever may be at the same height as the upper end of the printer or may be located below the upper end of the printer. In this case, it is possible to prevent the lever from being inadvertently operated and the state of the stopper from being switched.

[0012] In the present invention, the lever switches the stopper from the engaged state to the released state by moving downward, and at the timing when the stopper is switched from the engaged state to the released state by the movement of the lever, the upper end of the lever may be located above the upper surface of the housing. In this case, until the state of the stopper is switched from the engaged state to the released state, the upper end of the lever protrudes above the upper surface of the housing. Therefore, the printer can facilitate the operation that the user performs on the lever to switch the state of the stopper from the engaged state to the released state.

[0013] In the present invention, at least one push button including a proximity button closest to the lever is provided on the upper surface of the housing, and the printer detects an operation on the proximity button when the proximity button moves downward to a predetermined push position, and the lever switches the stopper from the engaged state to the released state by moving downward, and at the timing when the stopper is switched from the engaged state to the released state by the movement of the lever, the upper end of the lever may be located above the upper end of the proximity button located at the push position. In this case, until the state of the stopper is switched from the engaged state to the released state, the upper end of the lever protrudes above the upper end of the proximity button located at the push position. Therefore, the printer can prevent the proximity button from being pushed by an operation on the lever.

[0014] In the present invention, a push button may be provided on the upper surface of the housing, and the lever may move from a first position where the distance between the lever and the push button is a first distance to a second position where the distance between the lever and the push button is a second distance greater than the first distance, thereby switching the stopper from the engaged state to the released state. In this case, the printer can prevent the push button from being pressed by an operation on the lever.

[0015] In the present invention, the lever may have a first extension portion extending upward along a direction orthogonal to the axis, and a second extension portion extending from the upper end of the first extension portion in a direction approaching the touch panel unit. In this case, since the first extension portion of the lever can be separated from the touch panel, it is possible to suppress the lever from interfering with the touch panel unit. Further, by providing the second extension portion extending in a direction approaching the touch panel unit, it is possible to secure the contact area between the finger of the user operating the lever and the lever. Therefore, the printer can facilitate the operation of the lever by the user.

[0016] In the present invention, the lower end of the lever may be connected to the stopper. In this case, the state of the stopper can be appropriately switched by an operation on the lever.

[0017] In the present invention, the support mechanism may include a switching member in which the lever and the stopper are integrated. In this case, the strength of the switching member can be increased.

[0018] In the present invention, the upper end of the lever may protrude upward with respect to the upper surface of the housing. In this case, it is possible to facilitate the operation of the lever by the user.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings used are for explaining the technical features that the present invention can adopt. The configuration of the device described in the drawings is not intended to be limited thereto, but is merely an illustrative example. Hereinafter, the upper left, lower right, lower left, upper right, lower, and upper of FIG. 1 are defined as the left, right, front, rear, lower, and upper of the printer 1, respectively.

[0021] <Overview of the Printer 1> Printer 1 is a thermal printer that performs printing on medium 10 by thermal head 93, and is a mobile printer that can be carried by a user. In the present embodiment, medium 10 is thermal paper. Printer 1 is used with the bottom plate 31 (see FIG. 1) described later extending in the horizontal direction.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, printer 1 includes a housing 2 and a display unit 8. Housing 2 is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped box and houses thermal head 93 (see FIG. 3). Housing 2 is composed of a lower cover 3 and an upper cover 4. Lower cover 3 is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped that opens upward (see FIG. 3) and includes a bottom plate 31, a left plate 32, a right plate 33, a front plate 34, and a rear plate 35. Bottom plate 31 is located at the lower end of housing 2. Bottom plate 31 extends in the front-rear, left-right directions. Left plate 32 is located at the left end of housing 2. Left plate 32 extends upward from the left end of bottom plate 31 and extends in the front-rear direction from the front end to the rear end of bottom plate 31. Right plate 33 is located at the right end of housing 2. Right plate 33 extends upward from the right end of bottom plate 31 and extends in the front-rear direction from the front end to the rear end of bottom plate 31.

[0023] Front plate 34 is located at the front end of housing 2. Front plate 34 extends in the left-right direction from the front end of left plate 32 to the front end of right plate 33, and extends in the up-down direction from the front end of bottom plate 31 to the upper ends of left plate 32 and right plate 33. A recess 341 is provided in front plate 34. Recess 341 is recessed downward from the upper end of front plate 34 and extends in the left-right direction. Rear plate 35 is located at the rear end of housing 2. Rear plate 35 extends in the left-right direction from the rear end of left plate 32 to the rear end of right plate 33, and extends in the up-down direction from the rear end of bottom plate 31 to the upper ends of left plate 32 and right plate 33.

[0024] Upper cover 4 is disposed above lower cover 3. Upper cover 4 is connected to lower cover 3 so as to be movable between a closed position (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and an open position (see FIG. 3). Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the description will be based on the state where upper cover 4 is located at the closed position (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0025] The upper cover 4 is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped that opens downward (see Fig. 3), and includes an upper plate 41, a left plate 42, a right plate 43, a front plate 44, and a rear plate 45. The upper plate 41 is located at the upper end of the housing 2. The upper plate 41 extends in the front-rear, left-right directions. The upper plate 41 is composed of upper plates 49 and 61 (see Figs. 2 and 3). The upper plates 49 and 61 are arranged in the front-rear direction. The upper plate 49 is located in front of the upper plate 61. The direction forward along the upper plates 49 and 61 is inclined downward with respect to the horizontal direction. The inclination angle of the upper plates 49 and 61 with respect to the horizontal direction is about 5 degrees. A plurality of push buttons 18 are provided on the upper plate 49. The user operates the plurality of push buttons 18 to input various instructions to the printer 1. Among the plurality of push buttons 18, the push button 18 arranged at the center in the left-right direction and located at the rearmost position is referred to as a proximity button 181. A lever 67 is provided at the boundary portion of the upper plates 49 and 61 and at the center in the left-right direction. The lever 67 is arranged behind the proximity button 181. The proximity button 181 corresponds to the push button 18 that is closest to the lever 67 among the plurality of push buttons 18.

[0026] The left plate 42 is located at the left end of the housing 2. The left plate 42 extends downward from the left end of the upper plate 41 and extends in the front-rear direction from the front end to the rear end of the upper plate 41. The right plate 43 is located at the right end of the housing 2. The right plate 43 extends downward from the right end of the upper plate 41 and extends in the front-rear direction from the front end to the rear end of the upper plate 41.

[0027] The front plate 44 is located at the front end of the housing 2. The front plate 44 extends in the left-right direction from the front end of the left plate 42 to the front end of the right plate 43, and extends in the up-down direction from the front end of the upper plate 41 to the lower ends of the left plate 42 and the right plate 43. A recess 441 is provided on the front plate 44. The recess 441 is recessed upward from the lower end of the front plate 44 and extends in the left-right direction.

[0028] The rear plate 45 is located at the rear end of the housing 2. The rear plate 45 extends in the left - right direction from the rear end of the left plate 42 to the rear end of the right plate 43, and extends in the up - down direction from the rear end of the upper plate 41 to the lower ends of the left plate 42 and the right plate 43. The lower end of the rear plate 45 is rotatably connected to the upper end of the rear plate 35 via a shaft (not shown). The shaft extends in the left - right direction. The upper cover 4 moves between a closed position (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and an open position (see FIG. 3) by rotating about the shaft.

[0029] The front plates 34 and 44 constitute the front plate 21. The front plate 21 is located at the front end of the housing 2. The front plate 21 extends in the up - down, left - right directions. The front plate 21 is provided with a discharge port 211. The discharge port 211 is an opening surrounded by the recesses 341 and 441. The discharge port 211 discharges the medium 10 printed by the thermal head 93 forward from the housing 2.

[0030] The display unit 8 is disposed on the upper plate 61. The display unit 8 includes a touch - panel display 82. The display unit 8 is supported by the upper plate 41 so as to be switchable to any of a first position (see FIG. 1), a second position (see FIG. 8), and a third position (see FIGS. 2 and 10) by a support mechanism 5 described later. The first position is the rotational position of the display unit 8 in a fallen state. The second position and the third position are the rotational positions of the display unit 8 in a raised state. The rotational angles of the display unit 8 are different between the second position and the third position. The user appropriately switches the posture of the display unit 8 according to the usage situation of the printer 1. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the state where the display unit 8 is in the first position (see FIG. 1) will be used as a reference for description. The lever 67 is disposed at the boundary portion between the upper plate 49 and the display unit 8.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the internal structure of the printer 1 will be described. The lower cover 3 includes a housing plate 36 and defines a roll housing space 30A. The housing plate 36 extends in an arc shape so as to bulge downward as it goes forward from the vicinity of the upper end of the rear plate 35, and then extends linearly to the vicinity of the rear of the recess 341. The housing plate 36 extends in the left - right direction from the left plate 32 to the right plate 33.

[0032] The roll storage space 30A is a space surrounded by the left plate 32, the right plate 33, and the storage plate 36, and is open upward. A media roll 10A (see FIG. 4) is stored in the roll storage space 30A. The media roll 10A is a roll around which the media 10 printed by the thermal head 93 is wound. The roll storage space 30A is covered from above by the upper cover 4 when the upper cover 4 is disposed at the closed position (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 4). The roll storage space 30A is opened upward when the upper cover 4 is disposed at the open position (see FIG. 3). The user mounts the media roll 10A in the roll storage space 30A or removes the media roll 10A from the roll storage space 30A with the upper cover 4 disposed at the open position (see FIG. 3). The user performs printing by the printer 1 with the upper cover 4 disposed at the closed position (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 4).

[0033] The printer 1 includes rails 12A, 12B (see FIG. 4), a roll support mechanism 13 (see FIG. 3), a platen roller 11, a head unit 9, and a substrate 19 (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 4, the rails 12A, 12B are disposed at the front lower part of the roll storage space 30A. The rails 12A, 12B are respectively fitted into openings 36A, 36B provided in the storage plate 36 in the left - right direction. The rail 12B is disposed diagonally downward behind the rail 12A. The rails 12A, 12B extend in the left - right direction respectively.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, the roll support mechanism 13 includes adjuster guides 131, 132 and media disks 133, 134. The adjuster guide 131 has a plate shape and extends obliquely upward backward from the rail 12A (see FIG. 4). The adjuster guide 131 is connected to the rail 12A and moves in the left - right direction along the rail 12A in a region to the left of the center of the roll storage space 30A in the left - right direction. The media disk 133 is disposed at the rear end of the adjuster guide 131 and is fixed to the right surface of the adjuster guide 131. A protrusion 135 is provided on the media disk 133. The protrusion 135 protrudes rightward from the right surface of the media disk 133.

[0035] The adjuster guide 132 has a plate shape and extends obliquely upward rearward from the rail 12B (see FIG. 4). The adjuster guide 132 is connected to the rail 12B and moves in the left-right direction along the rail 12B in a region to the right of the center of the roll accommodation space 30A in the left-right direction. The medium disk 134 is disposed at the rear end of the adjuster guide 132 and fixed to the left surface of the adjuster guide 132. A protrusion (not shown) is provided on the medium disk 134. The protrusion protrudes leftward from the left surface of the medium disk 134.

[0036] The medium disks 133 and 134 face each other in the left-right direction. The adjuster guides 131 and 132 are biased by a spring (not shown) so as to approach each other in the left-right direction.

[0037] The medium roll 10A is disposed between the medium disks 133 and 134 in the left-right direction with the paper tube of the medium roll 10A extending in the left-right direction. The protrusion 135 fits into the paper tube of the medium roll 10A from the left, and the protrusion of the medium disk 134 fits into the paper tube of the medium roll 10A from the right. The roll support mechanism 13 rotatably supports the medium roll 10A from the left and right directions by the medium disks 133 and 134.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 4 and, the head unit 9 is disposed in the vicinity rearward of the recess 441. The head unit 9 includes a fixing plate 91, a heat sink 92, and a thermal head 93. The fixing plate 91 extends rearward from the vicinity rearward of the recess 441 and extends in the left-right direction. Both the left and right ends of the fixing plate 91 extend downward respectively. The rear end of the fixing plate 91 is rotatably supported by the upper cover 4.

[0039] An elastic body 99 is disposed at the front end of the fixed plate 91. The elastic body 99 is a compression coil spring and extends in the vertical direction. The front end of the fixed plate 91 is biased downward by the elastic body 99. The heat sink 92 is disposed at the front portion of the fixed plate 91 and fixed to the lower surface of the fixed plate 91. The heat sink 92 has a plate shape and extends in the front-rear, left-right directions. The front end of the heat sink 92 is disposed behind the front end of the fixed plate 91. The heat sink 92 releases the heat of the thermal head 93 and improves the heat responsiveness of the thermal head 93.

[0040] The thermal head 93 contacts the heat sink 92 and is fixed to the lower surface of the heat sink 92. The thermal head 93 has a plate shape and extends in the front-rear, left-right directions. The front end of the thermal head 93 is disposed behind the front end of the heat sink 92. The thermal head 93 includes a plurality of heating elements (not shown). The plurality of heating elements are respectively disposed on the lower surface of the thermal head 93 and arranged in the left-right direction. The thermal head 93 selectively heats the plurality of heating elements to perform printing on the medium 10.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the platen roller 11 is disposed near the rear of the recess 341 and is rotatably supported by the lower cover 3. The rotation axis of the platen roller 11 extends in the left-right direction. The platen roller 11 rotates by the drive of a conveyance motor (not shown). As shown in FIG. 4, when the upper cover 4 is disposed at the closed position, the front ends of the left and right ends of the fixed plate 91 engage with the left and right ends of the platen roller 11. In this case, the platen roller 11 is disposed below the thermal head 93 and faces the thermal head 93 in the vertical direction. The thermal head 93 is pressed against the platen roller 11 by the elastic body 99. The platen roller 11 sandwiches the medium 10 with the thermal head 93. In this state, the platen roller 11 rotates counterclockwise in a right-side view to convey the medium 10 forward. As shown in FIG. 3, when the upper cover 4 is disposed at the open position, the engagement of the front ends of the left and right ends of the fixed plate 91 with the left and right ends of the platen roller 11 is released. In this case, the thermal head 93 is disposed at a position away from the platen roller 11 upward.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 4, the substrate 19 is housed in the lower cover 3. The substrate 19 extends in the front-rear, left-right directions. The substrate 19 has a CPU, a flash memory, a RAM, etc. mounted thereon. The substrate 19 is electrically connected to each of a plurality of push buttons 18, a thermal head 93, a conveyance motor (not shown), and a touch panel display 82 via a harness (not shown). The substrate 19 acquires input information from the touch panel display 82 or the plurality of push buttons 18. The substrate 19 controls the heat generation of the thermal head 93, the rotation of the conveyance motor, and the display of the touch panel display 82 based on the acquired input information.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 4, the printing operation by the printer 1 will be described. The user operates the touch panel display 82 or the plurality of push buttons 18 to input a printing instruction to the printer 1. In this case, the printer 1 performs printing on the medium 10 by the thermal head 93 while conveying the medium 10 forward by the platen roller 11. Specifically, when the substrate 19 receives a printing instruction via the touch panel display 82 or the plurality of push buttons 18, it drives the conveyance motor to rotate the platen roller 11 counterclockwise in a right side view. Thereby, the medium 10 is pulled out from the medium roll 10A. The substrate 19 controls the thermal head 93 to selectively heat a plurality of heating elements. The portion of the medium 10 heated by the heating element is colored. The substrate 19 repeats the conveyance of a predetermined amount of the medium 10 by the platen roller 11 and the selective heat generation by the thermal head 93. Thereby, printing on the medium 10 is performed. The printed medium 10 is discharged from the housing 2 through the discharge port 211.

[0044] <Upper cover 4> As shown in FIG. 5, the upper cover 4 includes a roll cover 40, a button cover 47, and a support plate 48. The roll cover 40 includes a left plate 42, a right plate 43, a rear plate 45, and a connecting plate 46. The connecting plate 46 has a rectangular shape in plan view and is disposed below the upper plate 49. The connecting plate 46 extends in the left - right direction from the left plate 42 to the right plate 43. The connecting plate 46 extends in the front - rear direction from the position of the front end of the upper plate 41 to the position of the center of the upper plate 41 in the left - right direction. An opening 401 is provided in the roll cover 40. The opening 401 is an area surrounded by the rear end of the connecting plate 46, the upper end of the rear plate 45, the upper end of the left plate 42, and the upper end of the right plate 43. A recess 461 is provided in the rear part of the connecting plate 46. The recess 461 is located at the central part of the connecting plate 46 in the left - right direction. The recess 461 has a rectangular shape in plan view and is recessed downward from the upper surface of the connecting plate 46.

[0045] The button cover 47 includes an upper plate 49 and a front plate 44. The button cover 47 is attached to the front part of the roll cover 40 from above. A support plate 48 is disposed between the upper plate 49 and the connecting plate 46 in the up - down direction. The support plate 48 is fixed to the upper surface of the connecting plate 46. The support plate 48 has a rectangular shape in plan view, extends in the left - right direction from the left plate 42 to the right plate 43, and extends in the front - rear direction from the position of the front end of the upper plate 49 to the position of the rear end of the upper plate 49. The support plate 48 supports a substrate on which a plurality of push - buttons 18 are mounted. An opening 481 is provided at a position of the support plate 48 that overlaps the recess 461 in plan view.

[0046] A shaft cover 85 is provided at the rear end of the upper plate 49. The shaft cover 85 has a U - shaped opening downward in side view. Both the left and right ends of the shaft cover 85 are fixed to the rear end of the upper plate 49.

[0047] <Display unit 8> As shown in FIG. 5, the display unit 8 includes a display cover 81 and a touch panel display 82. The display cover 81 has a rectangular shape in plan view and includes a lower cover 83 and an upper cover 84. The lower cover 83 has a bottom plate 831, a front plate 832, a left plate 833, a right plate 834, and a rear plate 835. The bottom plate 831 is orthogonal to the vertical direction. The front plate 832, the left plate 833, the right plate 834, and the rear plate 835 each extend upward from the front end, the left end, the right end, and the rear end of the bottom plate 831, respectively. The lower cover 83 has a box shape and is open upward. The upper cover 84 has a plate shape and is attached to the lower cover 83 from above. An opening 811 is provided in the upper cover 84. The opening 811 has a rectangular shape in plan view. A notch 812 that is cut out rearward is formed at the front end and the center in the left-right direction of the upper cover 84.

[0048] The touch panel display 82 is housed in the display cover 81 and is exposed upward from the opening 811. The user touches the touch panel display 82 to input various instructions to the printer 1. The touch panel display 82 displays various information according to the instructions by the user.

[0049] An engaged portion 51, and protrusions 86 and 87 are provided at the front end of the lower cover 83. The engaged portion 51 is disposed at the center in the left-right direction of the front plate 832 of the lower cover 83. The engaged portion 51 functions as a part of a support mechanism 5 described later. Details of the engaged portion 51 will be described later. The protrusions 86 and 87 are disposed at the left end and the right end of the lower cover 83, respectively, and protrude forward from the front plate 832. Shafts 88 and 89 are provided on the protrusions 86 and 87, respectively. The shaft 88 protrudes rightward from the protrusion 86. The shaft 89 protrudes leftward from the protrusion 87. The shafts 88 and 89 are arranged linearly along a virtual central axis C extending in the left-right direction.

[0050] The shaft cover 85 fixed to the upper plate 49 extends in the left - right direction from the protrusion 86 to the protrusion 87. The left and right ends of the shaft cover 85 are respectively attached to the shafts 88 and 89. Thereby, the shaft cover 85 rotatably supports the front end portion of the display cover 81 about the central axis C. Thereby, the display unit 8 is connected to the upper plate 49 via the shafts 88 and 89 and rotates about the central axis C with respect to the upper cover 4. Therefore, the front end portion of the display cover 81 corresponds to the support portion 830 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) by which the display unit 8 is rotatably supported by the shaft cover 85.

[0051] <Support mechanism 5> The printer 1 includes a support mechanism 5. The support mechanism 5 non - rotatably supports the rotatable display unit 8 at a plurality of rotational positions (the first position (see FIGS. 1 and 4), the second position (see FIG. 8), the third position (see FIGS. 2 and 10)). Further, the support mechanism 5 releases the non - rotatable state of the display unit 8 in response to an operation by the user on the lever 67 (see FIGS. 9 and 11). The support mechanism 5 includes an engaged portion 51, a switching member 52, and an elastic body 53. And

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the engaged portion 51 is provided on the lower cover 83 of the display cover 81 and rotates in accordance with the rotation of the display unit 8. As shown in FIG. 6, the engaged portion 51 has a base portion 60 and a latch 62.

[0053] The base portion 60 protrudes forward from the front plate 832 of the lower cover 83. The latch 62 has a latch body 620 and protrusions 63 and 64. The latch body 620 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the base portion 60 and forward from the front surface. The surface of the latch body 620 extends in an arc shape when viewed from the right side (see FIGS. 4, 8 - 11). The latch body 620 is provided with outwardly protruding protrusions 721, 722, 723. The protrusions 721, 722, 723 are arranged in this order from the rear to the front. A step 621 is formed between the protrusions 721 and 722. A step 622 is formed between the protrusions 722 and 723. A step 623 is formed in front of the protrusion 723. The steps 621, 622, 623 are arranged in this order from the rear to the front.

[0054] The protruding portion 63 extends from left to right relative to the latch body 620. The protruding portion 64 extends from right to left relative to the latch body 620. The left end of the protruding portion 63 and the right end of the protruding portion 64 are spaced apart in the left - right direction, and a groove 65 is formed therebetween. The groove 65 is located in front of the step 623 and at the center in the left - right direction of the step 623. The width of the groove 65 in the left - right direction is smaller than the width of each of the steps 621, 622, 623 in the left - right direction.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 5, the switching member 52 has a stopper 66 and a lever 67. The stopper 66 is plate - shaped and extends in the front - rear direction. A shaft 68 is provided at the front end of the stopper 66. The shaft 68 extends in the left - right direction. The left and right ends of the shaft 68 protrude outward from the left and right ends of the stopper 66. As shown in FIG. 7, the shaft 68 is rotatably supported by the left and right side walls of the recess 461. The stopper 66 is disposed at the center of the housing 2 in the left - right direction. An engaging portion 661 is formed at the rear end of the stopper 66. The engaging portion 661 swings in the up - down direction about the shaft 68.

[0056] The engaging portion 661 engages with any one of the steps 621, 622, 623 of the latch 62. FIG. 4 shows a state where the engaging portion 661 engages with the step 621. FIG. 8 shows a state where the engaging portion 661 engages with the step 622. FIG. 10 shows a state where the engaging portion 661 engages with the step 623. Note that the rotational position of the display portion 8 differs depending on which of the steps 621, 622, 623 of the latch 62 the engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 engages with. The stopper 66 supports the display portion 8 at each rotational position and holds it in a state where rotation around the central axis C is impossible.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 4, in a state where the engaging portion 661 engages with the step 621, the angle of the display portion 8 with respect to the horizontal direction is the same as the inclination angle of the upper plate 61 with respect to the horizontal direction and is about 5 degrees. The rotational position of the display portion 8 in this state is the first position.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 8, with the engaging portion 661 engaged with the step 622, the angle of the display unit 8 with respect to the horizontal direction is approximately 35 degrees. The rotational position of the display unit 8 in this state is the second position. The second position corresponds to the rotational position where the display unit 8 arranged at the first position rotates counterclockwise by approximately 30 degrees in a right side view.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 10, with the engaging portion 661 engaged with the step 623, the angle of the display unit 8 with respect to the horizontal direction is approximately 65 degrees. The rotational position of the display unit 8 in this state is the third position. The third position corresponds to the rotational position where the display unit 8 arranged at the second position rotates counterclockwise by approximately 30 degrees further in a right side view.

[0060] Note that the uppermost part of the printer 1 is always the rear end of the upper cover 84 of the display unit 8 regardless of which rotational position among the first to third positions the display unit 8 is arranged at.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 5, the lever 67 is connected to the stopper 66. As shown in Figs. 4, 8 to 11, the lever 67 has a first extension portion 671 and a second extension portion 672. The first extension portion 671 extends upward from the central portion in the front-rear direction of the stopper 66, and more specifically, in a direction slightly inclined forward with respect to the upward direction. The inclination angle of the first extension portion 671 with respect to the vertical direction is the same as the inclination angle of the upper plates 49, 61 with respect to the horizontal direction, which is approximately 5 degrees. The extending direction of the first extension portion 671 is orthogonal to the central axis C. The second extension portion 672 extends rearward from the upper end of the first extension portion 671. The extending direction of the second extension portion 672 is orthogonal to the extending direction of the first extension portion 671.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lever 67 is disposed at the center of the housing 2 in the left-right direction. A part of each of the first extension 671 of the lever 67 and the stopper 66 is disposed in a space surrounded by the groove 65 (see FIG. 6) of the engaged portion 51. The first extension 671 extends upward through a space surrounded by a notch 812 provided in the upper cover 84 of the display unit 8. The upper end of the first extension 671 projects upward from a boundary portion between the support portion 830 supported by the housing 2 in the display unit 8 and the upper plate 49 of the housing 2. The direction in which the second extension 672 of the lever 67 extends from the connecting portion with the first extension 671 toward the tip corresponds to the direction approaching the display unit 8.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 4, 8 to 11, the upper end of the lever 67 is always located below the rear end of the upper cover 84 of the display unit 8, that is, at the uppermost part of the printer 1 regardless of the rotational position of the display unit 8.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 5, the elastic body 53 is disposed between the connection plate 46 and the stopper 66 in the vertical direction. The elastic body 53 is supported by the upper surface of the connection plate 46. The elastic body 53 is a compression coil spring and extends in the vertical direction. The elastic body 53 biases upward a part of the stopper 66 between the shaft 68 and the engaging portion 661 in the front-rear direction. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 4, 8, and 10, the engaging portion 661 engages with the latch 62 by being pressed downward against the bottom surface of any one of the steps 621, 622, and 623 of the latch 62. Hereinafter, the state of the stopper 66 in which the engaging portion 661 engages with any one of the steps 621, 622, and 623 of the latch 62 is referred to as an "engaged state".

[0065] On the other hand, when the lever 67 is operated downward by the user, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, a part of the stopper 66 between the shaft 68 and the engaging portion 661 in the front-rear direction moves downward against the biasing force of the elastic body 53. As a result, the engaging portion 661 is separated downward from the bottom surfaces of the steps 621, 622, and 623 of the latch 62, and the engaged state of the stopper 66 is released. Hereinafter, the state of the stopper 66 in which the engaging portion 661 is separated from the steps 621, 622, and 623 of the latch 62 is referred to as a "released state".

[0066] As shown in FIGS. 4, 8 to 11, the second extension portion 672 of the lever 67, that is, the heights H11 (see FIG. 4), H12 (see FIG. 8), H13 (see FIG. 9), H14 (see FIG. 10), H15 (see FIG. 11) at the upper end of the lever 67 are defined. Also, the height H21 (see FIGS. 4, 8, 10) of the rear end, which is the uppermost portion of the proximity button 181 in the non-pressed state, is defined. Further, the position of the proximity button 181 that has moved downward until the CPU of the substrate 19 detects the pressing is referred to as the "pressed position". The height H22 (see FIGS. 9, 11) of the rear end of the proximity button 181 disposed at the pressed position is defined. Also, the height H3 (see FIGS. 4, 8 to 11) of the rear end, which is the uppermost portion of the upper surface of the upper plate 49, is defined. Also, the distances D1 (see FIGS. 4, 8, 10), D2 (see FIGS. 9, 11) in the front-rear direction between the upper end of the lever 67 and the rear end of the proximity button 181 are defined.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 4, in the engaged state where the engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 is engaged with the step 621, the height H11 is located above the heights H21 and H3. As shown in FIG. 8, in the engaged state where the engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 is engaged with the step 622, the height H12 is located above the heights H21 and H3. As shown in FIG. 10, in the engaged state where the engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 is engaged with the step 623, the height H14 is located above the heights H21 and H3. Therefore, when the stopper 66 is in the engaged state, regardless of the rotational position of the display unit 8, the upper end of the lever 67 protrudes above the upper plate 49 and the proximity button 181.

[0068] From the state shown in FIG. 8, as the lever 67 is pressed and moves downward, the stopper 66 switches from the engaged state where the engaging portion 661 is engaged with the step 622 to the released state. As shown in FIG. 9, at the timing when the stopper 66 switches from the engaged state to the released state, the height H13 is located above the heights H22 and H3. Also, from the state shown in FIG. 10, as the lever 67 is pressed and moves downward, the stopper 66 switches from the engaged state where the engaging portion 661 is engaged with the step 623 to the released state. As shown in FIG. 11, at the timing when the stopper 66 switches from the engaged state to the released state, the height H15 is located above the heights H22 and H3. Therefore, at the timing when the stopper 66 switches from the engaged state to the released state, the upper end of the lever 67 protrudes above the proximity button 181 and the upper plate 49 arranged at the pressing position.

[0069] Also, when the stopper 66 switches from the engaged state to the released state, the lever 67 swings about the shaft 68. For this reason, the distance in the front-rear direction between the upper end of the lever 67 and the rear end of the proximity button 181 changes from the distance D1 (see FIGS. 4, 8, and 10) to a distance D2 (see FIGS. 9 and 11) that is larger than the distance D1. That is, as the lever 67 moves downward by an operation of the user pressing it, the lever 67 moves away from the proximity button 181.

[0070] <Rotation Position Adjustment of the Display Unit 8> The user performs an operation of lifting the rear end upward with respect to the display unit 8 arranged at the first position (see FIG. 4), that is, the display unit 8 in the fallen state. In this case, the display unit 8 rotates counterclockwise in a right-side view about the central axis C. The engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 relatively moves from the position engaged with the step 621 (see FIG. 4) along the protrusion 722 toward the step 622. The protrusion 722 presses the engaging portion 661 downward. The engaging portion 661 swings downward about the shaft 68 against the biasing force of the elastic body 53. As a result, the engaging portion 661 gets over the protrusion 722 and engages with the step 622. The elastic body 53 biases the engaging portion 661 toward the step 622. The display unit 8 is arranged at the second position and is held non-rotatable (see FIG. 8). The display unit 8 is in the raised state.

[0071] Also, the user performs an operation of further lifting upward the rear end of the display unit 8 (see FIG. 8) disposed at the second position. In this case, the display unit 8 rotates counterclockwise in a right side view about the central axis C. The engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 relatively moves along the protrusion 723 toward the step 623 from the state of being engaged with the step 622 (see FIG. 8). The protrusion 723 presses the engaging portion 661 downward. The engaging portion 661 swings downward about the shaft 68 against the biasing force of the elastic body 53. As a result, the engaging portion 661 gets over the protrusion 723 and engages with the step 623. The elastic body 53 biases the engaging portion 661 toward the step 623. The display unit 8 is disposed at the third position and held non-rotatable (see FIG. 10). Thus, the stopper 66 holds the display unit 8 stepwise at any one of a plurality of rotational positions.

[0072] On the other hand, in a state where the display unit 8 is disposed at the third position (see FIG. 10), the user performs an operation of pressing the lever 67 while supporting the display unit 8 by hand. In response to the downward movement of the lever 67, the engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 swings downward against the elastic force of the elastic body 53. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the stopper 66 switches from the engaged state in which the engaging portion 661 is engaged with the step 623 to the released state. The display unit 8 becomes rotatable about the central axis C. The user rotates the display unit 8 clockwise in a right side view and moves the display unit 8 from the third position toward the second position. After the display unit 8 moves to the second position, the user releases the pressing of the lever 67. As a result, the engaging portion 661 swings upward by the elastic force of the elastic body 53 and engages with the step 622. The elastic body 53 biases the engaging portion 661 toward the step 622. The stopper 66 returns from the released state to the original engaged state. The display unit 8 is disposed at the second position and held non-rotatable (see FIG. 8).

[0073] Further, the user performs an operation of pressing the lever 67 while supporting the display unit 8 by hand in a state where the display unit 8 is disposed at the second position (see FIG. 8). In response to the downward movement of the lever 67, the engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 swings downward against the elastic force of the elastic body 53. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the stopper 66 switches from an engaged state where the engaging portion 661 is engaged with the step 622 to a released state. The display unit 8 becomes rotatable about the central axis C. The user rotates the display unit 8 in the clockwise direction in a right side view and moves the display unit 8 from the second position toward the first position. After the display unit 8 moves to the first position, the user releases the pressing of the lever 67. As a result, the engaging portion 661 swings upward by the elastic force of the elastic body 53 and engages with the step 621. The elastic body 53 biases the engaging portion 661 toward the step 621. The stopper 66 returns from the released state to the original engaged state. The display unit 8 is disposed at the first position and held non-rotatable (see FIG. 4). Thereby, the raised display unit 8 is returned to the original fallen state.

[0074] <Operations and effects of the present embodiment> The printer 1 can restrict the rotation of the display unit 8 by restricting the rotation of the latch 62 with the stopper 66 in the engaged state. Therefore, the printer 1 can stably hold the raised display unit 8 at a predetermined rotational position (the second position or the third position). Further, the printer 1 can make the display unit 8 rotatable by not restricting the rotation of the latch 62 with the stopper 66 in the released state. Therefore, the printer 1 can rotate the raised display unit 8 to easily fall it and return it to the fallen state (the first position).

[0075] The stopper 66 and the lever 67 are provided at the center position of the housing 2 in the left-right direction. The left-right direction corresponds to the extending direction of the central axis C along the shafts 88 and 89 that rotatably support the display unit 8. Therefore, the stopper 66 can stably restrict the rotation of the display unit 8 at the center in the left-right direction in which the central axis C extends. Further, since the position of the lever 67 coincides with the position of the stopper 66 in the left-right direction, the state of the stopper 66 can be efficiently switched by the lever 67.

[0076] The upper end of the lever 67 protrudes upward from the boundary portion between the support portion 830 supported by the housing 2 in the display portion 8 and the upper plate 49 of the housing 2. In this case, when the user performs various operations on the printer 1, it is possible to prevent the lever 67 from interfering with the operation.

[0077] A part of each of the first extension portion 671 of the lever 67 and the stopper 66 is disposed in the space surrounded by the groove 65 of the latch 62. In this case, it is possible to prevent the lever 67 and the stopper 66 from interfering with the latch 62.

[0078] The upper end of the lever 67 is located below the rear end of the upper cover 84 of the display portion 8, which is the uppermost portion of the printer 1. In this case, when an operation on the lever 67 is not performed, it is easier to touch the display portion 8 before touching the lever 67. Therefore, the printer 1 can prevent the lever 67 from being unintentionally operated and the state of the stopper 66 from being switched.

[0079] At the timing when the stopper 66 is switched from the engaged state to the released state by the movement of the lever 67, the heights H13 and H15 of the upper end of the lever 67 are located above the height H3 of the rear end, which is the uppermost portion of the upper surface of the upper plate 49. That is, until the state of the stopper 66 is switched from the engaged state to the released state, the upper end of the lever 67 protrudes above the upper plate 49 of the housing 2. In this case, it is easier for the user to press down the lever 67. Therefore, the printer 1 can facilitate the operation performed by the user on the lever 67 to switch the state of the stopper 66 from the engaged state to the released state.

[0080] At the timing when the stopper 66 is switched from the engaged state to the released state by the movement of the lever 67, the heights H13 and H15 of the upper end of the lever 67 are located above the height H22 of the rear end of the proximity button 181 disposed at the pressing position. That is, until the state of the stopper 66 is switched from the engaged state to the released state, the upper end of the lever 67 protrudes above the upper end of the proximity button 181 located at the pressing position. In this case, the possibility that the user accidentally presses the proximity button 181 when operating the stopper 66 is reduced. Therefore, the printer 1 can suppress the proximity button 181 from being pressed by the operation on the lever 67.

[0081] When the lever 67 is pressed and the stopper 66 is switched from the engaged state to the released state, the distance in the front-rear direction between the upper end of the lever 67 and the rear end of the proximity button 181 changes from the distance D1 to a distance D2 greater than the distance D1. That is, as the lever 67 moves downward by the pressing operation, the lever 67 moves away from the proximity button 181. In this case, the possibility that the user accidentally presses the proximity button 181 when operating the stopper 66 is reduced. Therefore, the printer 1 can suppress the proximity button 181 from being pressed by the operation on the lever 67.

[0082] The lever 67 has a first extension portion 671 extending upward in a direction orthogonal to the central axis C, and a second extension portion 672 extending from the upper end of the first extension portion 671 in a direction approaching the display portion 8. By providing the second extension portion 672, the contact area between the finger of the user operating the lever 67 and the lever 67 can be ensured, so that the operation of the lever by the user can be facilitated. Further, while ensuring the contact area between the finger of the user and the lever 67, the first extension portion 671 of the lever 67 can be separated from the display portion 8, so that it is possible to suppress the lever 67 from interfering with the display portion 8.

[0083] In the support mechanism 5, the lower end of the first extension portion 671 of the lever 67 is connected to the stopper 66, and a switching member 52 integrating the lever 67 and the stopper 66 is formed. In this case, since the force acting on the lever 67 can be reliably transmitted to the stopper 66, the state of the stopper 66 can be appropriately switched by operating the lever 67. Also, the strength of the switching member 52 can be enhanced.

[0084] When the stopper 66 is in the engaged state, the heights H11, H12, and H14 are located above the height H3 of the rear end, which is the uppermost portion of the upper surface of the upper plate 49. That is, the upper end of the lever 67 protrudes upward with respect to the upper plate 49 of the housing 2 when the stopper 66 is in the engaged state. In this case, it becomes easier for the user to press the lever 67. Therefore, the printer 1 can facilitate the user's operation on the lever 67.

[0085] <Modification Example> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. The printing method of the printer 1 is not limited to the thermal method of heating thermal paper by the thermal head 93, and other various printing methods may be used. For example, the printing method of the printer 1 may be a thermal transfer method of heating an ink ribbon and transferring ink to a medium. The number of steps provided in the latch 62 is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be, for example, 1, 2, 4 or more. Instead of the display unit 8, a touch panel unit having only a touch panel without a display function may be used.

[0086] The stopper 66 may be provided at least at the central position in the left-right direction of the housing 2. For this reason, for example, the stopper 66 may be provided over the entire area from the left end to the right end of the housing 2. On the other hand, the stopper 66 may not be provided at the central position in the left-right direction of the housing 2, and may be provided only at positions excluding this position.

[0087] When the user presses the lever 67, the engaging portion 661 swings downward, thereby switching the stopper 66 from the engaged state to the released state. On the contrary, for example, the lever 67 may be provided below the stopper 66. In this case, in response to an operation in which the user pinches the lever 67 and moves it downward, the engaging portion 661 may be swung downward to switch the stopper 66 from the engaged state to the released state. Further, the lever 67 may not be provided at the center position in the left - right direction of the housing 2, and may be provided only at positions other than this position. For example, the lever 67 may be provided on the left side surface or the right side surface of the housing 2.

[0088] The groove 65 may not be provided in the latch 62. For example, by providing the lever 67 at a position different from the latch 62 in the left - right direction, interference with the latch 62 may be suppressed.

[0089] The uppermost part of the printer 1, that is, the rear end of the upper cover 84 of the display unit 8 and the upper end of the lever 67 may be arranged at the same height. Or, the upper end of the lever 67 may be arranged at a position higher than the rear end of the upper cover 84 of the display unit 8.

[0090] At the timing when the stopper 66 is switched from the engaged state to the released state by the movement of the lever 67, the height H13, H15 of the upper end of the lever 67 and the height H3 of the rear end, which is the uppermost part of the upper surface of the upper plate 49, may be the same height. At the timing when the stopper 66 is switched from the engaged state to the released state by the movement of the lever 67, the height H13, H15 of the upper end of the lever 67 and the height H22 of the rear end of the proximity button 181 arranged at the pressing position may be the same height. The distance between the lever 67 and the proximity button 181 may be the same in the state where the lever 67 is pressed and the state where it is not pressed.

[0091] At the upper end of the first extension portion 671 of the lever 67, in addition to the second extension portion 672, a third extension portion extending in the direction opposite to the second extension portion 672 may be provided. The upper surface of the second extension portion 672 may be curved. The lever 67 may have only the first extension portion 671, and the second extension portion 672 may not be provided.

[0092] The stopper 66 and the lever 67 of the switching member 52 may be constituted by separate members. The lever 67 may switch the stopper 66 from the engaged state to the released state by swinging the engaging portion 661 of the stopper 66 via a separate member.

[0093] <Others> The head unit 9 is an example of the "printing unit" of the present invention. The display unit 8 is an example of the "touch panel unit" of the present invention. The central axis C is an example of the "axis" of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0094] 1: Printer 2: Housing 5: Support mechanism 8: Display unit 9: Head unit 18: Push button 52: Switching member 62: Latch 65: Groove 66: Stopper 67: Lever 82: Touch panel display 621, 622, 623: Step 671: First extension 672: Second extension C: Central axis

Claims

1. A housing having a printing unit inside, A touch panel unit including at least a touch panel and rotatable about a predetermined axis with respect to the upper part of the housing, A support mechanism for supporting the touch panel unit, Having at least one step, and a latch that rotates in response to the rotation of the touch panel, A stopper that can engage with the step of the latch and restricts the rotation of the latch in a state of being engaged with the step, The support mechanism having the above, A lever for switching the stopper from an engaged state engaged with the step to a released state where it is not engaged A printer characterized by comprising the above.

2. The stopper is Provided at least at the central position of the housing in the extending direction of the axis, The lever is The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided at the central position of the housing in the extending direction of the axis.

3. The lever is The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that it protrudes upward from the boundary portion between the support portion supported by the housing by the support mechanism and the housing among the touch panel units.

4. The latch has a groove, The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that a part of the lever is arranged in the space surrounded by the groove.

5. In the vertical direction, the upper end of the lever is at the same height as the upper end of the printer or is located below the upper end of the printer. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that.

6. The lever switches the stopper from the engaged state to the released state by moving downward, The printer according to claim 1, wherein, at the timing when the stopper is switched from the engaged state to the released state by the movement of the lever, the upper end of the lever is located above the upper surface of the housing.

7. At least one push button including a proximity button closest to the lever is provided on the upper surface of the housing, The printer detects an operation on the proximity button when the proximity button moves downward to a predetermined depressed position, The lever switches the stopper from the engaged state to the released state by moving downward, The printer according to claim 1, wherein, at the timing when the stopper is switched from the engaged state to the released state by the movement of the lever, the upper end of the lever is located above the upper end of the proximity button located at the depressed position.

8. A push button is provided on the upper surface of the housing, The printer according to claim 1, wherein the lever switches the stopper from the engaged state to the released state by moving from a first position where the distance between the lever and the push button is a first distance to a second position where the distance between the lever and the push button is a second distance greater than the first distance.

9. The lever, A first extension portion extending upward along a direction orthogonal to the shaft, and A second extension portion extending from the upper end of the first extension portion toward the touch panel unit The printer according to claim 1, characterized by having.

10. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the lever is connected to the stopper.

11. The support mechanism, The printer according to claim 1, characterized by including a switching member in which the lever and the stopper are integrated.

12. The printer according to claim 1, wherein an upper end of the lever protrudes upward with respect to an upper surface of the housing.

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