Cutting plotter

Abstract

To provide a cutting plotter which allows a user to selectively use pen holding parts at two positions without inserting and removing a pen tool.SOLUTION: A cutting plotter includes: a pen carriage 16 which moves above a stage; and a tool holder 21 which is provided at the pen carriage 16 to hold a pen tool 17. The tool holder 21 includes: a support member 25 having a through hole 24 for inserting the pen tool; a slide member 26 which moves in a front-back direction; and a pressing mechanism 27 which presses the slide member 26 in the front-back direction. An opening shape of the through hole 24 is an elongated hole shape in which the pen tool 17 may move from a front end to a rear end. The slide member 26 has first and second pressing parts (front ends 48, 49 and rear ends 46, 47) which press the pen tool 17 to one end or the other end of the through hole. An engagement structure 51 for restricting vertical movement of the pen tool 17 is provided at the support member 25 and the slide member 26.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting plotter in which a pen carriage is provided with two pen tool attachment portions. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional cutting plotters involve moving a pen carriage with a cutting pen left and right while feeding the medium to be cut back and forth on a stage. Among these cutting plotters, those that can perform a full cut, which cuts the medium to be cut, and a half cut, which cuts only the sheet portion while leaving the release paper of the adhesive sheet, have a configuration in which the mounting position of the cutting pen can be changed between a full cut and a half cut.

[0003] The reason for changing the mounting position of the cutting pen is that the shape of the part that supports the medium is different when performing a full cut and a half cut. A full cut is performed on a groove formed in the stage so that the cutting pen blade can penetrate the medium. On the other hand, a half cut is performed on a surface formed in the stage, as the medium must be supported while the cut is being performed. The groove for a full cut and the surface for a half cut are located apart in the transport direction of the medium. Note that some conventional cutting plotters can be equipped with a writing pen instead of a cutting pen to draw on the medium. The writing pen is mounted in the mounting position when performing a half cut with the cutting pen. In the following, when applicable to both a cutting pen and a writing pen, these components will be described as a "pen tool."

[0004] A pen carriage that allows the mounting position of the cutting pen to be changed is formed, for example, as shown in Figure 17. In a cutting plotter equipped with the pen carriage 1 shown in Figure 17, the medium to be cut (not shown) is transported in a direction from the lower left to the upper right of Figure 17. In this explanation, the upstream side of the transport direction of the medium to be cut is referred to as the front side of the cutting plotter, and the downstream side of the transport direction is referred to as the rear side of the cutting plotter.

[0005] A pen carriage 1 shown in FIG. 17 is provided with a tool holder 3 that supports a cutting pen 2 and is movable up and down. The tool holder 3 includes a main body 5 having a through hole 4 extending in the vertical direction, and a tool fixture 7 attached to the main body 5 by a screw member 6. The screw member 6 and the tool fixture 7 are provided at the front end of the main body 5. The screw member 6 has a male thread 6a (see FIG. 18), and is screwed into the main body 5 with the male thread 6a extending in the front-to-rear direction. The tool fixture 7 moves rearward by screwing the screw member 6 into the main body 5, and moves forward by loosening the screw member 6.

[0006] The through-hole 4 has a front pen holding portion 8 and a rear pen holding portion 9. The front pen holding portion 8 and the rear pen holding portion 9 are each formed so that a cutting pen 2 can be inserted from above, and are configured so that the cutting pens 2 inserted into the front pen holding portion 8 and the rear pen holding portion 9 cannot move in the front-to-back or left-to-right directions. The cutting pen 2 has a cylindrical shaft 2a that is inserted into the through-hole 4, and an annular flange 2b that protrudes radially outward from the top of the shaft 2a. The flange 2b is placed on the top surface of the main body 5 when the shaft 2a is inserted into the front pen holder 8 or the rear pen holder 9. The flange 2b overlaps the main body 5, thereby holding the cutting pen 2 in place on the main body 5. Note that a writing pen (not shown) may be attached to the rear pen holder 9 instead of the cutting pen 2. The writing pen also has a flange, just like the cutting pen 2.

[0007] The tool fixture 7 is used to push the cutting pen 2 held in the front pen holding portion 8 or the rear pen holding portion 9 backward to fix it to the front pen holding portion 8 or the rear pen holding portion 9. The tool fixture 7 has a pair of upper and lower protrusions 7a, 7b. When attaching the cutting pen 2 to the front pen holder 8, the screw member 6 is loosened and the tool fixture 7 is moved relatively forward as shown in FIG. 18. FIG. 18 does not show the interior of the cutting pen 2. In this case, the cutting pen 2 is inserted into the front pen holder 8 with the screw member 6 loosened enough so that it will not fall off the main body 5, and then the screw member 6 is screwed into the main body 5. By screwing the screw member 6 into the main body 5 in this manner, the upper and lower protrusions 7a, 7b of the tool fixture 7 push the cutting pen 2 from the front toward the rear, securing the cutting pen 2 in the front pen holder 8. The upper protrusion 7b contacts the flange 2b of the cutting pen 2 from above and cooperates with the main body 5 to pinch the flange 2b and restrict upward movement of the cutting pen 2.

[0008] When attaching the cutting pen 2 to the rear pen holder 9, as shown in Figure 19, with the cutting pen 2 inserted into the rear pen holder 9, the screw member 6 is screwed into the main body 5 until the tool fixture 7 reaches the cutting pen 2. Then, the upper and lower protrusions 7a, 7b of the tool fixture 7 press against the cutting pen 2, and the cutting pen 2 is pressed against and fixed to the rear pen holder 9. In this case as well, the upper protrusion 7a overlaps the flange 2b from above. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] 17 to 19, a problem occurs when a half cut is performed immediately after a full cut is performed to cut the medium. That is, after a full cut, the cutting pen 2 must be pulled upward from the front pen holding portion 8, for example, and then inserted into the rear pen holding portion 9. This means that when switching between a full cut mode and a half cut mode, the cutting pen 2 must be removed and inserted each time, which is a hassle.

[0010] There were also several problems with the structure for fixing the cutting pen 2 to the tool holder 3. The first problem was that when the cutting pen 2 was attached to the front pen holding portion 8, the amount of engagement of the screw member 6 was reduced, making the screw member 6 prone to falling off from the main body 5. This problem could be solved by increasing the length of the male screw 6a, but adopting such a configuration would result in the pen carriage 1 becoming larger.

[0011] The second problem is that when assembling the cutting pen 2 to the rear pen holder 9, the screw member 6 must be turned many times, making the work cumbersome and lengthening the work time. The third problem is that the direction of the reaction force acting on the screw member 6 when the cutting pen 2 is fixed to the front pen holder 8 or the rear pen holder 9 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the screw member 6. As a result, the reaction force easily loosens the screw member 6, making it unreliable for maintaining the holding force that holds the cutting pen 2.

[0012] The fourth problem is that the flange 2b of the cutting pen 2 and the upper protrusion 7a of the tool fixture 7 may be positioned incorrectly in the vertical direction. That is, the screw member 6 may be tightened with the upper protrusion 7a overlapping the flange 2b. In such a case, the cutting pen 2 may come out of the main body 5 when the cutting pen 2 is fully or partially cut.

[0013] An object of the present invention is to provide a cutting plotter that can selectively use two pen holders without inserting or removing a cutting pen. Another object of the present invention is to provide a cutting plotter in which the fixing structure of the pen tool, including the cutting pen, is designed to prevent parts from falling off, improve operability and incorrect installation, and increase holding power. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to achieve this object, the cutting plotter according to the present invention comprises a stage forming a transport path along which a medium to be cut is fed, a pen carriage that moves above the stage in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium to be cut, and a tool holder that is provided on the pen carriage so as to be movable in the vertical direction and that holds a pen tool in a position extending in the vertical direction, the tool holder comprises a support member having a through hole into which the pen tool is inserted, a slide member that is supported on the support member so as to be movable in the transport direction, and a pressing mechanism that presses the slide member against the support member in one or the other direction in the transport direction, the opening shape of the through hole being an ellipse that is long in the transport direction, The pen tool is formed in a shape that allows it to move from one end to the other end in the conveying direction, and the slide member has a first pressing portion that presses the pen tool against one end of the through hole in the conveying direction by moving in one direction relative to the support member, and a second pressing portion that presses the pen tool against the other end of the through hole in the conveying direction by moving in the other direction relative to the support member, and the support member and the slide member are provided with an engagement structure that engages with the pen tool when the pen tool is pressed against the one end or the other end of the through hole and restricts movement of the pen tool in the vertical direction relative to the support member.

[0015] In the cutting plotter of the present invention, the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion of the slide member may be provided above and below the support member, respectively.

[0016] In the cutting plotter of the present invention, the pressing mechanism may have a pressing element attached to the support member by a screw member and a pressure-receiving surface formed on the slide member so as to face the pressing element, and the pressing element and the pressure-receiving surface may form a cam that converts the pressing force applied from the pressing element to the pressure-receiving surface into a thrust that moves the slide member in the conveying direction.

[0017] In the cutting plotter of the present invention, the engagement structure may be composed of a step portion provided at the upper opening of the through hole on which a flange portion provided on the outer periphery of the pen tool is placed, and a protrusion provided on the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion of the slide member, overlapping the flange portion from above.

[0018] In the cutting plotter of the present invention, the stage is provided with a first pen holder for full cutting consisting of a groove extending in the horizontal direction and a second pen holder for half cutting and writing consisting of a surface extending in the horizontal direction, spaced apart in the transport direction, and when the position of the pen tool pressed against one end of the through hole is defined as a first position and the position of the pen tool pressed against the other end of the through hole is defined as a second position, the first position may be located above one of the first pen holder and the second pen holder, and the second position may be located above the other pen holder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] In this invention, the pen tool can move parallel to one another within the through-hole formed in the support member of the tool holder, and is fixed at one end or the other end of the through-hole. Therefore, this invention provides a cutting plotter that can selectively use two pen holding sections without inserting or removing the cutting pen. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a cutting plotter according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the shape of the stage. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pen carriage. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the tool holder. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a part of the tool holder. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the support member and the cutting pen as seen obliquely from above. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the support member as seen obliquely from below. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the slide member. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the connection between the support member and the pressing mechanism as viewed from the front. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tool holder. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tool holder. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a pressing element. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the tool holder. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing a part of the tool holder in section. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the tool holder showing a state in which the slider has moved forward. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the tool holder showing a state in which the slider has moved rearward. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a conventional pen carriage. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional tool holder and cutting pen. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional tool holder and cutting pen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, a cutting plotter according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 feeds a sheet 12, which is a medium to be cut, from the upper right to the lower left in the figure, and performs full cutting (cutting), half cutting, drawing, etc. on the sheet 12. The sheet 12 is placed on a stage 13 that forms a transport path, and is transported while sandwiched between a rotating drive roller 14 and a push roller 15.

[0022] A pen carriage 16 is disposed above the stage 13. A pen tool 17 is attached to the pen carriage 16, which is movably supported on guide rails 16a and moves in a horizontal direction (from the upper left to the lower right in FIG. 1) perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the sheet 12. In the following description of the direction of components, the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the sheet 12 (the lower left side in FIG. 1) is defined as the front side of the cutting plotter 11, and the cutting plotter 11 is shown as viewed from the front.

[0023] 2, the pen tools 17 include a cutting pen 18 used for full cuts and half cuts, and a writing pen 19 used for drawing. A blade 18a protrudes from the bottom end of the cutting pen 18. A writing implement body 19a protrudes from the bottom end of the writing pen 19. The pen tool 17 is held by a tool holder 21 of the pen carriage 16 in a position extending in the vertical direction.

[0024] 2, a first pen holder 22 for full cutting and a second pen holder 23 for partial cutting and writing are provided on the stage 13 at a distance from each other in the front-to-rear direction. The first pen holder 22 is formed by a groove extending in the horizontal direction (left-to-right direction) perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the sheet 12. The second pen holder 23 is formed by a flat surface extending in the left-to-right direction. The tool holder 21 is configured so as to be able to hold the pen tool 17 above the first pen receiving portion 22 and above the second pen receiving portion 23, respectively.

[0025] (Tool holder explanation) The tool holder 21 is supported by a drive device (not shown) provided inside the pen carriage 16, and is driven by the drive device to move up and down. That is, the tool holder 21 is provided on the pen carriage 16 so as to be movable up and down. The pen tool 17 held by the tool holder 21 is raised and lowered between a lower cutting / drawing position and an upper retracted position by driving the tool holder 21 by the drive device. The cutting pen 18 or writing pen 19 descends to the cutting / drawing position, enabling full cutting, partial cutting, drawing, etc.

[0026] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tool holder 21 in this embodiment includes a support member 25 having a through hole 24 into which the pen tool 17 is inserted, a slide member 26 supported on the support member 25 so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction (the conveying direction of the sheet 12), and a pressing mechanism 27 that presses the slide member 26 forward or backward against the support member 25. (Explanation of support members) The through-hole 24 of the support member 25 is formed by a hollow portion of a cylindrical body 25a, as shown in Fig. 4. A driving device is connected to the left end of the cylindrical body 25a via a connecting arm (not shown). As shown in Figure 5, the opening shape of the through hole 24 is an oval shape that is long in the front-to-back direction, and is formed in a shape that allows the pen tool 17 inserted into the through hole 24 to move from the front end of the through hole 24 (one end in the conveying direction of the sheet 12, the downstream end) to the rear end (the other end in the conveying direction of the sheet 12, the upstream end).

[0027] As shown in FIG. 6, a step 28 is formed at the upper opening of the through hole 24 so that the opening width is partially wider. The step 28 is formed over the entire opening of the through hole 24. The step 28 is also formed so that a flange 29 formed on the outer periphery of the pen tool 17 is inserted into and supported therein. The flange 29 is formed so that the outer diameter is partially enlarged over the entire outer periphery of the pen tool 17. The depth of the step 28 is shallower than the thickness (the formed width in the vertical direction) of the flange 29. Therefore, when the flange 29 is placed on the step 28, the upper end surface of the flange 29 is positioned above the upper surface of the cylindrical body 25a.

[0028] Furthermore, the hole wall surfaces of the through-hole 24, namely, a front-side hole wall surface 30 (see FIG. 7) located at the front end of the cylindrical body 25a and a rear-side hole wall surface 31 located at the rear end of the cylindrical body 25a, are formed in a shape that allows a cylindrical shaft portion 17a (18a) formed below the flange portion 29 of the pen tool 17 (cutting pen 18) to fit therewith. When the pen tool 17 is slid forward with the flange portion 29 placed on the step portion 28, the shaft portion 17a comes into close contact with the front-side hole wall surface 30. When the pen tool 17 is slid rearward with the flange portion 29 placed on the step portion 28, the shaft portion 17a comes into close contact with the rear-side hole wall surface 31.

[0029] A support bracket 32 ​​extending forward is integrally formed at the front end of the cylindrical body 25a. The support bracket 32 ​​is for supporting the slide member 26, and as shown in FIG. 6, is provided with a pair of upper and lower guide pieces 33, 33 and a boss 34 for screw fastening. As shown in FIG. 9, the guide piece 33 contacts an inner surface 26a of the slide member 26 (described later) to regulate the movement direction of the slide member 26. The cut position in FIG. 9 is the position indicated by line IX-IX in FIG. The screwing boss 34 is for connecting the pressing mechanism 27, which will be described later, and is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction at the front end of the support bracket 32. The screwing boss 34 in this embodiment protrudes to the right from the front end of the support bracket 32. A female thread 35 is formed in the axial center of the screwing boss 34. A screw member 36 (see FIG. 4) of the pressing mechanism 27, which will be described later, is screwed into this female thread 35.

[0030] (Explanation of slide parts) As shown in Figure 4, the slide member 26 is formed by a main body 41, which is the front half, and an upper pressing piece 42 and a lower pressing piece 43, which extend rearward from the rear end of the main body 41. The main body 41 is formed in the shape of a rectangular cylinder with a bottom that opens rearward. The support bracket 32 ​​of the support member 25 is inserted into the inside of the main body 41 from the rear. A long hole 44 that is long in the front-rear direction is formed in the right side wall 41a of the main body 41, and a pair of upper and lower protrusions 45 that protrude toward the right are also formed.

[0031] The elongated hole 44 is formed so as to penetrate the right side wall 41a of the main body 41 in the left-right direction. As shown in Fig. 9, the screw boss 34 of the support bracket 32 ​​is inserted into this elongated hole 44. When the screw boss 34 is pulled to the right by the pressing mechanism 27 (described later), the guide piece 33 of the support bracket 32 ​​is pressed against the right side wall 41a (inner surface 26a) inside the main body 41, and the right side wall 41a of the main body 41 becomes parallel to the guide piece 33. The slide member 26 is assembled to the support member 25 in this state parallel to the guide piece 33 (extending in the front-rear direction).

[0032] As shown in Fig. 4, the upper pressing piece 42 and the lower pressing piece 43 are formed in a frame shape having approximately oval holes 42a, 43a that are long in the front-to-rear direction when viewed from above. As shown in Fig. 8, the opening shape of these holes 42a, 43a is shaped to allow the pen tool 17 to be inserted from above, similar to the through-hole 24 of the support member 25, and is shaped to allow the inserted pen tool 17 to move from the front end to the rear end of the holes 42a, 43a. In addition, the opening width of the holes 42a, 43a is larger than the outer diameter of the flange portion 29 of the pen tool 17.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 10, the upper pressing piece 42 is positioned above the cylindrical body 25a of the support member 25 when the slide member 26 is assembled to the support member 25. Note that the interior of the pen tool 17 is omitted in Fig. 10, 11 and 13. The cut position in Fig. 10 is the position indicated by line XX in Fig. 13. The lower pressing piece 43 is positioned below the cylindrical body 25a of the support member 25 in a state in which the slide member 26 is assembled to the support member 25. When the slide member 26 is moved in the front-to-rear direction relative to the support member 25, the holes 42a and 43a of the upper pressing piece 42 and the lower pressing piece 43 come to overlap with the through-hole 24 of the support member 25 when viewed from above. In this manner, the pen tool 17 is inserted from above with the holes 42a and 43a and the through-hole 24 overlapping.

[0034] When the pen tool 17 is inserted in this manner, the flange 29 of the pen tool 17 rests on the step 28 of the support member 25. When the slide member 26 is then moved forward from this state, the rear ends 46, 47 of the upper pressing piece 42 and the lower pressing piece 43 come into contact with the pen tool 17, pushing the pen tool 17 forward, as shown in FIG. 10 . The pen tool 17 thus pushed forward is pressed against the front hole wall surface 30 of the support member 25. Hereinafter, the position of the pen tool 17 pressed against the front hole wall surface 30 in this manner will be referred to as the "first position." This first position is located above the first pen holder 22 described above.

[0035] On the other hand, when the slide member 26 is moved rearward with the flange 29 of the pen tool 17 placed on the step 28 of the support member 25, the front ends 48, 49 of the upper pressing piece 42 and the lower pressing piece 43 come into contact with the pen tool 17 and push the pen tool 17 rearward, as shown in FIG. 11 . The pen tool 17 pushed rearward in this manner is pressed against the rear hole wall surface 31 of the support member 25. Hereinafter, the position of the pen tool 17 pressed against the rear hole wall surface 31 in this manner will be referred to as the "second position." This second position is located above the second pen holder 23 described above.

[0036] In this embodiment, rear ends 46, 47 of upper pressing piece 42 and lower pressing piece 43 correspond to the "first pressing portion" of the present invention, and front ends 48, 49 of upper pressing piece 42 and lower pressing piece 43 correspond to the "second pressing portion" of the present invention. Therefore, the first pressing portion and second pressing portion of slide member 26 are provided above and below support member 25, respectively.

[0037] (Explanation of engagement structure) 10 and 11, the upper pressing piece 42 according to this embodiment has a protrusion 50 that overlaps the flange 29 of the pen tool 17 from above when the pen tool 17 is pressed against the front hole wall surface 30 or the rear hole wall surface 31. When the protrusion 50 overlaps the flange 29 that is placed on the step portion 28, the flange 29 is sandwiched from above by the step portion 28 and the protrusion 50, preventing it from moving in the vertical direction. That is, the support member 25 and the slide member 26 are provided with an engagement structure 51 that engages with the pen tool 17 when the pen tool 17 is pressed against the front end or rear end of the through-hole 24, thereby restricting the pen tool 17 from moving in the vertical direction relative to the support member 25.

[0038] (Explanation of the pressing mechanism) As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pressing mechanism 27 is composed of a pressing element 52 that overlaps the right side wall 41a of the main body 41 of the slide member 26, a screw member 36 that attaches the pressing element 52 to the support member 25, and a pair of upper and lower protrusions 45 that protrude from the side wall 41a. 12(A) to 12(D), the pressing element 52 is composed of a plate-shaped pressing portion 54 having a circular through-hole 53 formed in the center thereof, and a pair of arms 55 protruding from the pressing portion 54. Fig. 12(A) is a front view seen from the side wall side, Fig. 12(B) is a plan view, Fig. 12(C) is a side view, and Fig. 12(D) is a perspective view.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 12(B), the pressing portion 54 is trapezoidal when viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 9, the pressing portion 54 has a vertical width such that it covers the right side wall 41a of the slide member 26 (main body 41) from the right side. The pressing portion 54 is used with the upper base of its trapezoidal planar shape facing the side wall 41a of the slide member 26. That is, a front pressing surface 56 consisting of an inclined surface is formed at the front end of the pressing portion 54, and a rear pressing surface 57 consisting of an inclined surface is formed at the rear end. These pressing surfaces 56, 57 are inclined so that the thickness of the pressing portion 54 gradually decreases from the left end (the end facing the side wall 41a) of the pressing portion 54 toward the right side.

[0040] Marks 58 are formed on the upper and lower end surfaces of the pressing portion 54, and serve as a guide for positioning the slide member 26 when moving it in the front-rear direction. The through hole 53 of the pressing portion 54 is a hole for passing the bolt 36a (see FIG. 9) of the screw member 36. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 13, the screw member 36 is composed of the bolt 36a and a disk-shaped knob 36b. A washer 59 is disposed between the knob 36b and the pressing portion 54. The diameter of the through hole 53 is such that the boss 34 for screwing of the support member 25 can be fitted therein.

[0041] The arm portion 55 extends leftward from the center of the pressing portion 54 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 14, the arm portion 55 has a width in the vertical direction that allows it to be inserted into the elongated hole 44 of the slide member 26. The arm portion 55 also has a recess 55a (see FIG. 12(D)) that is shaped like an extension of the through-hole 53 of the pressing portion 54. This recess 55a fits into the boss 34 for screwing when the arm portion 55 is inserted into the elongated hole 44 of the slide member 26.

[0042] The presser 52 is attached to the screw boss 34 by the screw member 36, with the arm 55 inserted into the elongated hole 44 of the slide member 26 and fitted into the screw boss 34. When the screw member 36 is tightened or loosened, the arm 55 comes into contact with the wall surface of the elongated hole 44, preventing the presser 52 from rotating. The screw member 36 is tightened when the protrusion 45 protruding from the side wall of the slide member 26 is aligned with the presser 52 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 8 , the protrusion 45 on the side wall 41 a of the slide member 26 is formed in a triangular mountain shape that convexes toward the right when viewed from above. A front mark 60 and a rear mark 61 are provided on the upper end of the side wall 41 a near the protrusion 45. The front mark 60 serves as a guide for determining the position of the slide member 26 when the pen tool 17 is attached to the second position. The rear mark 61 serves as a guide for determining the position of the slide member 26 when the pen tool 17 is attached to the first position. When moving the slide member 26 in the front-to-rear direction, the slide member 26 is positioned so that the front mark 60 or the rear mark 61 is aligned with the mark 58 of the presser 52 in the left-to-right direction.

[0044] The protrusion 45 is formed with a front pressure-receiving surface 62 consisting of an inclined surface located on the front side, and a rear pressure-receiving surface 63 consisting of an inclined surface located on the rear side. These front pressure-receiving surface 62 and rear pressure-receiving surface 63 are formed to face the front pressing surface 56 and rear pressing surface 57 of the pressing element 52, and are configured to function as a cam 64 that changes the direction of force transmission in cooperation with the pressing element 52. 15, by tightening the screw member 36 with the front pressing surface 56 of the presser 52 in contact with the rear pressure-receiving surface 63 of the protrusion 45, the pressing force applied from the presser 52 to the rear pressure-receiving surface 63 is converted into a thrust that moves the slide member 26 forward, and this thrust urges the slide member 26 forward. Therefore, with the pen tool 17 inserted and held in the holes 42a, 43a of the slide member 26 and the through-hole 24 of the support member 25, the slide member 26 moves forward by the operation of the cam 64 described above, and as a result, the pen tool 17 is pressed forward by the upper pressing piece 42 and the lower pressing piece 43 against the front hole wall surface 30 and fixed to the support member 25, as shown in FIG.

[0045] 16, by tightening the screw member 36 with the rear pressing surface 57 of the presser 52 in contact with the front pressure-receiving surface 62 of the protrusion 45, the pressing force applied from the presser 52 to the front pressure-receiving surface 62 is converted into a thrust that moves the slide member 26 rearward, and this thrust urges the slide member 26 rearward. With the pen tool 17 inserted and held in the holes 42a, 43a of the slide member 26 and the through-hole 24 of the support member 25, the slide member 26 moves rearward by the operation of the cam 64 described above, and as a result, the pen tool 17 is pressed rearward by the upper pressing piece 42 and the lower pressing piece 43 and pressed against the rear hole wall surface 31, and fixed to the support member 25, as shown in FIG. Therefore, when switching between a full cut mode (a mode in which the cutting pen 18 is positioned at the first position) and a half cut mode (a mode in which the cutting pen 18 is positioned at the second position), the two pen holding portions can be used without inserting or removing the pen tool 17.

[0046] In this embodiment, the upper pressing piece 42 of the slide member 26 is disposed above the support member 25, and the lower pressing piece 43 of the slide member 26 is disposed below the support member 25. Therefore, pressing force can be applied to the portions of the pen tool 17 above and below the support member 25, preventing the pen tool 17 from tilting and enabling cutting and drawing to be performed with high precision.

[0047] The pressing mechanism 27 according to this embodiment has a pressing element 52 attached to the support member 25 with a screw member 36, and a front pressure-receiving surface 62 and a rear pressure-receiving surface 63 formed on the slide member 26 so as to face the pressing element 52. The pressing element 52 and the front pressure-receiving surface 62 and the rear pressure-receiving surface 63 form a cam 64 that converts the pressing force applied by the pressing element 52 to the front pressure-receiving surface 62 or the rear pressure-receiving surface 63 into a thrust that moves the slide member 26 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0048] Therefore, compared to a conventional configuration in which the direction in which the screw member advances is the same as the direction in which the pen tool is pressed against the pen holding portion, the axial direction (left-right direction) of the screw member 36 is perpendicular to the direction (front-back direction) of the reaction force acting on the depressor 52 when pressed, making it difficult for the screw member 36 to loosen. Moreover, according to this embodiment, the amount by which the screw member 36 is turned is approximately the same when attaching the pen tool 17 to the first position and when attaching it to the second position. Therefore, it is possible to provide a cutting plotter that is more resistant to component dropping, easier to operate, and has better holding power than conventional cutting plotters.

[0049] The engagement structure 51 in this embodiment is composed of a step portion 28 provided at the upper opening of the through hole 24 of the support member 25 and on which the flange portion 29 of the pen tool 17 is placed, and protrusions 50 provided at the front and rear ends of the upper pressing piece 42 of the slide member 26 and overlapping the flange portion 29 from above. Therefore, when the pen tool 17 is attached to the first position or the second position, the flange 29 of the pen tool 17 is always positioned below the projection 50 of the upper pressing piece 42, so that the pen tool 17 can be reliably prevented from being attached incorrectly.

[0050] In this embodiment, the stage 13 is provided with a first pen holder 22 for full cutting, which is made up of a horizontally extending groove, and a second pen holder 23 for half cutting and writing, which is made up of a horizontally extending surface, spaced apart in the conveyance direction of the sheet 12. In this embodiment, the first position at which the pen tool 17 is attached is located above the first pen holder 22, and the second position is located above the second pen holder 23. This makes it possible to provide a cutting plotter that can easily switch between a mode for performing full cutting and a mode for performing half cutting or drawing.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been shown in which the first pen holder 22 is located forward of the second pen holder 23. However, the present invention can also be applied to a case in which the second pen holder 23 is provided forward of the first pen holder 22. In this case, a writing tool is attached to the first position located above the second pen holder 23. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 11...cutting plotter, 12...sheet, 13...stage, 16...pen carriage, 17...pen tool, 21...tool holder, 22...first pen receiving portion, 23...second pen receiving portion, 24...through hole, 25...support member, 26...slide member, 27...pressure mechanism, 28...step portion, 29...flange portion, 36...screw member, 46...rear end portion of upper pressing piece (first pressing portion), 47...rear end portion of lower pressing piece (first pressing portion), 48...front end portion of upper pressing piece (second pressing portion), 49...front end portion of lower pressing piece (second pressing portion), 51...engagement structure, 52...pressure element, 62...front pressure receiving surface, 63...rear pressure receiving surface, 64...cam, 50...protrusion.

Claims

1. a stage that forms a transport path along which the medium to be cut is transported; a pen carriage that moves above the stage in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the medium to be cut; a tool holder provided on the pen carriage so as to be movable in a vertical direction and holding a pen tool in a position extending in the vertical direction; The tool holder comprises: a support member having a through hole into which the pen tool is inserted; a slide member supported by the support member so as to be movable in the transport direction; a pressing mechanism that presses the slide member against the support member in one direction or the other direction in the conveying direction, an opening shape of the through hole is an ellipse that is long in the conveyance direction, and is formed into a shape that allows the pen tool to move from one end to the other end in the conveyance direction; The slide member is a first pressing portion that moves in one direction in the transport direction relative to the support member to press the pen tool against one end of the through hole in the transport direction; a second pressing portion configured to move in the other direction of the conveyance direction relative to the support member to press the pen tool against the other end of the through hole in the conveyance direction; A cutting plotter characterized in that the support member and the slide member are provided with an engagement structure that engages with the pen tool when the pen tool is pressed against one end or the other end of the through hole, thereby restricting the pen tool's movement in the vertical direction relative to the support member.

2. 2. The cutting plotter according to claim 1, 10. A cutting plotter according to claim 9, wherein the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion of the slide member are provided above and below the support member, respectively.

3. 2. The cutting plotter according to claim 1, The pressing mechanism includes: a pressing element attached to the support member by a screw member; The slide member has a pressure-receiving surface formed to face the pressing element, A cutting plotter characterized in that the pressure element and the pressure-receiving surface form a cam in which the pressure applied from the pressure element to the pressure-receiving surface is converted into a thrust that moves the slide member in the conveying direction.

4. 2. The cutting plotter according to claim 1, The engagement structure includes: a step portion provided at an upper opening of the through hole, on which a flange portion provided on an outer periphery of the pen tool is placed; a projection provided on the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion of the slide member, the projection overlapping the flange portion from above;

5. The cutting plotter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, a first pen receiving portion for full cutting, which is formed by a groove extending in the horizontal direction, and a second pen receiving portion for half cutting and writing, which is formed by a surface extending in the horizontal direction, are provided on the stage at an interval in the transport direction; A cutting plotter characterized in that when the position of the pen tool pressed against one end of the through hole is defined as a first position and the position of the pen tool pressed against the other end of the through hole is defined as a second position, the first position is positioned above one of the first pen holder and the second pen holder, and the second position is positioned above the other pen holder.

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