Adjustment mechanism and printer

Abstract

To enable adjustment and fixation of an interval between a pair of slide guides to be easily performed with a relatively simple configuration.SOLUTION: An adjustment mechanism includes a rail having a slide groove and a pair of slide guides provided so as to be slidable within the slide groove. The adjustment mechanism can adjust an interval between the pair of slide guides. The rail has a plurality of engagement grooves. The slide guide engages with the engagement grooves and has a projection part slidable within the engagement grooves. By moving the projection part to the outside of the engagement grooves, engagement is released, so that the slide guide becomes slidable within the slide groove.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an adjustment mechanism and a printer.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a paper guide mechanism for a roll paper printer capable of approaching and separating a pair of paper guides.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the technology of Patent Document 1 has a complicated configuration for approaching and separating a pair of paper guides, and it is not possible to easily adjust and fix the interval between the pair of paper guides to an interval corresponding to the paper width of the roll paper used.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above-described problems, an adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment includes a rail having a slide groove and a pair of slide guides slidably provided in the slide groove, and is an adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting the interval between the pair of slide guides. The rail has a plurality of engagement grooves, the slide guide has a protrusion that engages with the engagement groove and is slidable in the engagement groove, and the engagement is released by moving the protrusion outside the engagement groove, and the slide guide can slide in the slide groove.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the interval between the pair of slide guides can be easily adjusted and fixed with a relatively simple structure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8A

Figure 8B

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] 〔Embodiment〕 Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the X-axis direction is the front-rear direction, the Y-axis direction is the left-right direction, the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction, the positive direction of the X-axis is the front direction, the positive direction of the Y-axis is the right direction, and the positive direction of the Z-axis is the up direction.

[0009] (Configuration of Printer 10) FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the printer 10 according to the embodiment as viewed from the front side. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printer 10 according to the embodiment taken along the A-A cross-section line (see FIG. 1). FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the printer 10 according to the embodiment as viewed from the rear side. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the printer 10 includes a frame 12, a printer unit 20, and a pair of roll paper holders 30.

[0010] The frame 12 is a horizontal flat plate-like member. The pair of roll paper holders 30 are provided at the rear part of the frame 12 and hold both ends of the shaft portion 32A of the roll paper 32. Note that the printer 10 can use a plurality of types of roll paper 32 with different paper widths.

[0011] The printer unit 20 is provided at the front part of the frame 12. The printer unit 20 has a thermal head 21, a platen roller 22, a paper conveyance motor (not shown), and a cutter motor 43, and the thermal head 21 and the platen roller 22 are arranged to face each other vertically. The platen roller 22 rotates by the drive of a paper conveyance motor (not shown) not shown, thereby conveying the roll paper 32 inserted from the paper insertion port 23 forward. The thermal head 21 prints on the conveyed roll paper 32.

[0012] Further, the printer unit 20 includes a cutter unit 40. The cutter unit 40 has a movable blade 42 and a fixed blade 41, and by moving the movable blade 42 toward the fixed blade 41 by the drive of the cutter motor 43, the portion of the roll paper 32 on which printing has been completed by the thermal head 21 is separated between the fixed blade 41 and the movable blade 42. The roll paper 32 separated by the cutter unit 40 is discharged from the paper discharge port 24.

[0013] Further, the printer unit 20 includes a paper guide 100. The paper guide 100 is provided behind the paper insertion port 23. The paper guide 100 is an example of an "adjustment mechanism" and has a rail 110 linearly extending in the left - right direction and a pair of slide guides 120L and 120R slidable in the left - right direction within the slide groove 111 of the rail 110. The rail 110 and the slide guides 120L and 120R are made of resin, for example. Each of the pair of slide guides 120L and 120R has an opposing guide surface 120A above the rail 110. The paper guide 100 is adjusted so that the interval between the pair of guide surfaces 120A is equal to the paper width of the roll paper 32, thereby guiding the roll paper 32 inserted into the paper insertion port 23 between the pair of guide surfaces 120A without skewing. The paper guide 100 can guide a plurality of types of roll paper 32 with different paper widths by adjusting the interval between the pair of guide surfaces 120A.

[0014] (Configuration of the paper guide 100) FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the paper guide 100 includes a rail 110 having a slide groove 111 linearly extending in the left - right direction and a pair of slide guides 120L and 120R slidably provided within the slide groove 111.

[0015] The rail 110 has a plurality of fixed positions in the left - right direction corresponding to the paper widths of a plurality of types of roll paper 32 assumed to be used. The rail 110 can fix the slide guides 120L and 120R at each of the plurality of fixed positions. The slide guides 120L and 120R have a knob 123 that can be pressed. When the knob 123 is pressed, the slide guides 120L and 120R switch from a state fixed to the fixed position of the rail 110 to a state slidable in the left - right direction within the slide groove 111 of the rail 110.

[0016] The knob 123 has four protruding portions 123B that protrude in pairs on both side surfaces facing the rails 110 of the slide guides 120L and 120R. The rail 110 has a plurality of engaging grooves 112 provided at the upper part of the front wall portion and a plurality of engaging grooves 112 provided at the upper part of the rear wall portion, and at any fixed position, the four protruding portions 123B engage with each other.

[0017] When the slide guides 120L and 120R are fixed at an arbitrary fixed position of the rail 110 and the knob 123 is pressed, the engagement of each of the four protruding portions 123B with each of the four engaging grooves 112 of the rail 110 is released, so that the slide guides can be slid left and right within the slide groove 111 of the rail 110.

[0018] Then, while the knob 123 is being pressed, when the slide guides 120L and 120R are slid to an arbitrary fixed position of the rail 110 and the pressing operation of the knob 123 is released, each of the four protruding portions 123B engages with each of the four engaging grooves 112 of the rail 110 from below, and is fixed at an arbitrary fixed position of the rail 110.

[0019] In this way, the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment can easily switch between a state where the slide guides 120L and 120R are fixed at a fixed position of the rail 110 and a state where the slide guides 120L and 120R can slide left and right within the slide groove 111 by pressing the knob 123. Thereby, the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment can easily adjust and fix the interval between the pair of guide surfaces 120A according to the paper width of the roll paper 32 to be used.

[0020] The paper guide 100 according to the embodiment can securely fix the slide guides 120L and 120R by engaging each of the four protruding portions 123B with each of the four engaging grooves 112 of the rail 110 at each fixed position of the rail 110.

[0021] In particular, in the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment, since each fixed position of the rail 110 is provided at a position corresponding to the paper width of the roll paper 32 assumed to be used, the interval between the pair of guide surfaces 120A of the slide guides 120L and 120R can be easily adjusted and fixed to the same size as the paper width of the roll paper 32 to be used.

[0022] (Configuration of Slide Guide 120) FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the slide guide 120 according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the slide guide 120 according to the embodiment. Since the slide guides 120L and 120R have the same shape and configuration, the slide guide 120 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 can be used for either the slide guide 120L or 120R.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the slide guide 120 includes a case 121, a cover 122, a knob 123, and a coil spring 124.

[0024] The case 121 is a resin member having a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the case 121, a concave portion 121A having a rectangular parallelepiped space shape with an open upper portion is formed at a position below the opening portion 122B of the cover 122. The knob 123 and the coil spring 124 are disposed inside the concave portion 121A.

[0025] Further, two notch portions 121B are provided on each of the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the case 121 so as to be spaced apart in the left - right direction. The notch portion 121B is a portion linearly cut downward from the upper edge portion of the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the case 121 with a certain width.

[0026] The cover 122 is a resin member attached to the case 121 so as to cover the upper portion of the case 121. By attaching the cover 122 to the case 121, the knob 123 and the coil spring 124 can be disposed inside the concave portion 121A of the case 121, and the knob 123 can be slidably locked along the notch portion 121B.

[0027] The cover 122 has a guide wall 122A erected vertically at the end in the Y-axis direction. As a result, the cover 122 has an L-shape when viewed from the side. The vertical surface on the Y-axis side of the guide wall 122A and the vertical surface on the Y-axis side of the case 121 constitute a guide surface 120A for guiding the roll paper 32.

[0028] Also, the cover 122 has a rectangular opening 122B at a position corresponding to the knob 123. When the upper part of the knob 123 is arranged in the opening 122B, the upper surface 123A of the knob 123 can be exposed. For example, the cover 122 is fixed to the case 121 by a snap-fit structure, press-fit structure, or the like.

[0029] The knob 123 is an operation member made of, for example, resin that can be pressed. The knob 123 is arranged inside the recess 121A of the case 121 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, as an example, the knob 123 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The upper surface 123A of the knob 123 is exposed upward from the opening 122B of the cover 122. As a result, the upper surface 123A of the knob 123 can be pressed downward by the operator from above.

[0030] The knob 123 has two columnar protrusions 123B provided at intervals in the left-right direction on each of the front side surface and the rear side surface. The interval between the two protrusions 123B is equal to the interval between two adjacent engaging grooves 112 provided at each fixed position of the rail 110 and the interval between two notches 121B of the same wall portion provided on the case 121.

[0031] The protrusions 123B are inserted into the notches 121B provided in the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the case 121 and protrude outside the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the case 121. The protrusions 123B slide vertically within the notches 121B of the case 121 as the knob 123 moves vertically.

[0032] The coil spring 124 is a metal member that is disposed below the knob 123 inside the recess 121A of the case 121 to bias the knob 123 upward. The coil spring 124 is compressed by the knob 123 when the knob 123 is depressed. Then, when the depression operation of the knob 123 is released, the coil spring 124 can move the knob 123 upward by its own elastic force to automatically return the knob 123 to its initial position. Note that the coil spring 124 can be replaced with other elastic members such as a leaf spring or rubber.

[0033] (Operation of the slide guide 120) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment taken along the XZ plane. FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views of the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment with a part of the rear side wall of the rail 110 being transparent. FIGS. 7(a) and 8A show a state where the knob 123 is not depressed. FIGS. 7(b) and 8B show a state where the knob 123 is depressed.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b), the slide groove 111 of the rail 110 is a groove extending in the left-right direction with an open upper portion, and includes a wide-width portion 111A having a second width provided on the lower side, and a narrow-width portion 111B having a first width provided on the upper side and having a groove width narrower than that of the wide-width portion 111A.

[0035] The groove width of the wide-width portion 111A is larger than the lateral width including the protrusion 123B of the knob 123. For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 7(b) and 8B, when the knob 123 is depressed and each of the four protrusions 123B of the knob 123 moves downward within the notch 121B of the case 121 and enters the wide-width portion 111A, the slide guide 120 switches to a state where it can slide in the left-right direction within the slide groove 111 of the rail 110.

[0036] On the one hand, the groove width of the narrow portion 111B is smaller than the lateral width including the protruding portion 123B of the knob 123. Therefore, when the slide guide 120 is located outside the fixed position of the rail 110, the protruding portion 123B of the knob 123 abuts against the bottom surface of the narrow portion 111B, and the upward movement of the knob 123 is restricted. Accordingly, the slide guide 120 maintains a state of being slidable in the left-right direction within the slide groove 111 of the rail 110.

[0037] And when the slide guide 120 is located at a predetermined fixed position of the rail 110, as shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 8A, each of the four protruding portions 123B of the knob 123 moves upward within the notch portion 121B of the case 121 and enters from below into each of the four engagement grooves 112 provided on the front inner wall surface and the rear inner wall surface of the narrow portion 111B. Thereby, the knob 123 moves upward under the biasing force from the coil spring 124. As a result, the slide guide 120 is fixed at the predetermined fixed position, and the slide in the left-right direction is restricted.

[0038] (Holding Structure of Paper Guide 100) FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the holding structure of the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 9(a) is an external perspective view of the printer unit 20 and the paper guide 100 in a separated state from each other. FIG. 9(b) is an external perspective view of the printer unit 20 and the paper guide 100 in a combined state with each other.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), the printer unit 20 is provided, behind the paper insertion port 23, with a holding portion 25 having a shape recessed in substantially the same shape as the outer shape of the rail 110 of the paper guide 100. Also, on each of the front inner wall surface and the rear inner wall surface of the holding portion 25, two elastic arm portions 26 are provided spaced apart in the left-right direction. The elastic arm portion 26 has a fixed lower end portion and is elastically deformable in the front-rear direction. An engagement claw 26A protruding toward the inside of the holding portion 25 is provided at the upper end portion of the elastic arm portion 26.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), the paper guide 100 is detachable from the holding portion 25. As shown in FIG. 9(b), the paper guide 100 is held by the holding portion 25 when the rail 110 is fitted into the holding portion 25 while elastically deforming the four elastic arms 26. At this time, the engagement claws 26A of each of the four elastic arms 26 engage with the front upper edge portion and the rear upper edge portion of the rail 110, so that the paper guide 100 is fixed so as not to come out upward from the holding portion 25. Then, the paper guide 100 can be removed from the holding portion 25 by releasing the engagement of the engagement claws 26A of each of the four elastic arms 26 with the upper edge portion of the rail 110.

[0041] In the present embodiment, the rail 110 is fixed to the holding portion 25 by a snap fit structure using the elastic arms 26. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as another example, the rail 110 may be fixed to the holding portion 25 by screwing or the like. Further, the rail 110 may not be a separate part from the printer unit 20 and may be integrally formed.

[0042] (Configuration of Sensor Unit 130) FIG. 10 is an external perspective view of the sensor unit 130 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the sensor unit 130 includes a case 131, a cover 132, a knob 133, and a coil spring 134 (not shown). Since the case 131 and the coil spring 134 are the same as the case 121 and the coil spring 124 of the slide guide 120, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0043] The cover 132 is different from the cover 122 of the slide guide 120 in that it does not have the guide wall 122A, and is the same as the cover 122 of the slide guide 120 in other respects, so the description thereof will be omitted.

[0044] Similar to the knob 123 of the slide guide 120, the knob 133 has four protrusions 133B. With a pressing operation, each of the four protrusions 133B slides vertically within the notch 131B of the case 131. The knob 133 is different from the knob 123 in that it has a sensor 135 for detecting the roll paper 32 on its upper surface 133A. Since it is the same as the knob 123 of the slide guide 120 in other respects, the description thereof is omitted.

[0045] (Installation example of the sensor unit 130) FIG. 11 is a plan view of a sheet guide 100 showing an installation example of the sensor unit 130 according to the embodiment.

[0046] In the example shown in FIG. 11(a), the sensor unit 130 is fixed at a certain fixed position between the slide guides 120L and 120R in the slide groove 111 of the rail 110.

[0047] Also, in the example shown in FIG. 11(b), the sensor unit 130 is fixed at another fixed position between the slide guides 120L and 120R in the slide groove 111 of the rail 110.

[0048] Also, in the example shown in FIG. 11(c), each of the two sensor units 130 is fixed at each of the two fixed positions between the slide guides 120L and 120R in the slide groove 111 of the rail 110.

[0049] Note that both ends of the slide groove 111 of the rail 110 are open in the left - right direction. For this reason, the slide guide 120 and the sensor unit 130 can be detached from both ends of the slide groove 111 and inserted into the slide groove 111 in a state where the knobs 123 and 133 are pushed down.

[0050] Thus, similar to the slide guide 120, the sheet guide 100 according to the embodiment can be provided with one or a plurality of sensor units 130 so as to be slidable in the left - right direction within the slide groove 111 of the rail 110.

[0051] Moreover, the sensor unit 130 according to the embodiment can easily switch between a state of being fixed at a fixed position on the rail 110 and a state of being slidable in the left - right direction within the slide groove 111 by pressing the knob 133. Thereby, the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment can easily adjust and fix the detection position of the roll paper 32 by the sensor 135.

[0052] Further, in each fixed position of the rail 110, the paper guide 100 according to the embodiment can firmly fix the sensor unit 130 to the rail 110 by engaging each of the four protrusions 133B of the knob 133 of the sensor unit 130 with each of the four engagement grooves 112 of the rail 110.

[0053] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications or changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

[0054] For example, the platen roller 22, the movable blade 42, and the cutter motor 43 may be made detachable forward from the thermal head 21, a paper conveyance motor (not shown), and the fixed blade 41.

[0055] Also, for example, the protrusion 123B may be polygonal prism - shaped or thin - plate - shaped, and the number of protrusions of the knob 123 may be two instead of four.

[0056] For example, a coil spring may be provided in the slide groove 111 of the rail 110, and the slide of the slide guide 120 may be urged by the elastic force of the coil spring.

[0057] As an example, by providing a coil spring outside the slide guides 120L and 120R in the slide groove 111, the slide of the slide guides 120L and 120R inward may be urged.

[0058] As another example, a coil spring may be provided inside the slide guides 120L and 120R in the slide groove 111 to bias the slide guides 120L and 120R to slide outward.

[0059] As another example, coil springs may be provided respectively inside and outside the slide guides 120L and 120R in the slide groove 111 to bias the slide guides 120L and 120R to slide outward and inward respectively.

[0060] In addition, the "adjustment mechanism" of the present disclosure is not limited to the application to the paper guide of the printer, and may be applied to other devices, such as a holder device that sandwiches a smartphone or the like between a pair of slide guides, as long as it can adjust the interval between at least a pair of slide guides.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0061] 10 Printer, 12 Frame, 20 Printer Unit, 21 Thermal Head, 22 Platen Roller, 23 Paper Insertion Port, 24 Paper Discharge Port, 25 Holding Port, 26 Elastic Arm, 26A Engaging Claw, 30 Roll Paper Holding Port, 32 Roll Paper, 32A Shaft Port, 40 Cutter Unit, 41 Fixed Blade, 42 Movable Blade, 43 Cutter Motor, 100 Paper Guide, 110 Rail, 111 Slide Groove, 111A Wide Portion, 111B Narrow Portion, 112 Engaging Groove, 120, 120L, 120R Slide Guide, 120A Guide Surface, 121 Case, 121A Concave Portion, 121B Notch Portion, 122 Cover, 122A Guide Wall, 122B Opening Port, 123 Knob, 123A Upper Surface, 123B Protrusion Port, 124 Coil Spring, 130 Sensor Unit, 131 Case, 131B Notch Portion, 132 Cover, 133 Knob, 133B protrusion, 133A upper surface, 134 coil spring, 135 sensor

Claims

1. A rail having a slide groove, A pair of slide guides slidably provided in the slide groove, And comprising, An adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting the distance between the pair of slide guides, The rail has a plurality of engagement grooves, The slide guide has a protrusion that engages with the engagement groove and is slidable within the engagement groove, By moving the protrusion outside the engagement groove, the engagement is released, and the slide guide can slide within the slide groove. An adjustment mechanism characterized by the above.

2. The slide guide has a knob provided with the protrusion and an elastic member that biases the knob along the sliding direction within the engagement groove. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The rail has the engagement groove, a narrow-width portion having a first width, and a wide-width portion having a second width wider than the first width. The slide guide can slide within the slide groove by moving the protrusion to the wide-width portion. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

4. A printer including a thermal head, a platen roller, a pair of slide guides, and a paper guide capable of adjusting the distance between the pair of slide guides. The paper guide includes a rail having a slide groove and the pair of slide guides slidably provided in the slide groove. The rail has a plurality of engagement grooves. The slide guide has a protrusion that engages with the engagement groove and is slidable within the engagement groove. By moving the protrusion outside the engagement groove, the engagement is released, and the slide guide can slide within the slide groove. A printer characterized by the above.

5. Comprising a sensor unit slidably provided in the slide groove. The sensor unit has a protrusion that engages with the engagement groove and is slidable within the engagement groove. By moving the protrusion outside the engagement groove, the engagement is released, and the sensor unit can slide within the slide groove. The printer according to claim 4, characterized by the above.

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