Printer

Abstract

To make replacement workability of a print head of a printer proper.SOLUTION: A printer according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a head assembly including a print head, and a head cover which can swing around a predetermined swing axis and which covers at least a part of the print head. The head cover has a regulation part that is engaged with the head assembly so as to regulate the oscillation of the head cover.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Thermal heads are used as print heads in printers, and because they are consumables, they need to be replaced. For example, in the printer described in Patent Document 1, the print head attached to the print head unit is equipped with a head-side power supply connection terminal and a head-side signal connection terminal, and it is described that the print head can be replaced by manually connecting or disconnecting the power supply connection terminal and the signal connection terminal on the bracket side of the printer, respectively. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-53159 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the conventional printers described above, the print head is replaced without removing the print head unit from the printer, which makes the replacement process less efficient.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the workability of replacing a print head in a printer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a head assembly including a print head; a head cover that is swingable about a predetermined swing axis and that covers at least a portion of the print head; The head cover of the printer has a restricting portion that restricts the swinging of the head cover by engaging with the head assembly. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the workability of replacing a print head in a printer is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment with the interior thereof visible, showing the configuration of continuous paper; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a printer with an interior view. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the printing section of the printer according to the embodiment when the print head unit is in an open state. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the print head unit in an open state. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of a part of a head mechanism of a printer according to an embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of a head mechanism of the printer according to the embodiment, seen from below. [Figure 8] 1 includes an exploded perspective view of a head assembly incorporated into a head mechanism section and a cross-sectional view of a thermal head. [Figure 9] 1 is a plan view of a head accessory member and an enlarged view (side view) taken along arrow A. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the head mechanism portion of the print head unit shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a print position adjustment function in a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the print head unit. [Figure 13] 13 is a perspective view of the operation panel of FIG. 12 as seen from the back side, and an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the back surface of the operation panel. [Figure 14] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the operation of inserting and removing the head assembly from the printer. [Figure 15] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the operation of inserting and removing the head assembly from the printer. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a modified example of a guide mechanism provided in the printer of the embodiment. [Figure 17] 16 is a diagram showing a state in which the connectors of the head assembly are connected in an embodiment different from the connecting mode of the connectors shown in FIG. 15. FIG. [Figure 18] 16 is a diagram showing a state in which the connector of the head assembly is not connected in an embodiment different from the connection mode of the connector shown in FIG. 15. FIG. [Figure 19] 18A and 18B are diagrams illustrating the operation when the head assembly shown in FIG. 17 is removed from the printer. [Figure 20] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the head assembly and the head cover before and after head position adjustment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The embodiments described below are not limited to the drawings described by the brief description of the drawings.

[0010] A first aspect of the present invention is a head assembly including a print head; a head cover that is swingable about a predetermined swing axis and that covers at least a portion of the print head; The head cover of the printer has a restricting portion that restricts the swinging of the head cover by engaging with the head assembly.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the head assembly that engages with the head cover can swing together with the head cover, which improves the ease of replacing the print head in the printer. Also, it is possible to restrict the swinging of the head cover when the print head is in operation.

[0012] A second aspect of the present invention is the printer according to the first aspect, wherein the regulating portion engages with the head assembly in a state in which the head assembly can slide in the insertion / removal direction of the head assembly.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present invention, when replacing the print head, the head assembly can be removed by sliding it in the insertion / removal direction.

[0014] In a third aspect of the present invention, the head assembly is provided with a head holding part that detachably holds the head assembly, the head holding portion releases the hold on the head assembly in response to an operation on a release portion; In the printer according to the first or second aspect, the regulating portion maintains engagement with the head assembly to prevent the head assembly from falling under its own weight when the head holding portion releases its hold on the head assembly.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention, when replacing the print head, the printer user can remove the head assembly from the head holding part by operating the release part, and the head assembly is protected because it does not fall under its own weight.

[0016] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a printer according to the third aspect, wherein the head cover has a limiting portion that limits the amount of swing of the head cover when the head cover swings in response to the head holding portion releasing its hold on the head assembly.

[0017] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, by limiting the amount of swing of the head cover when a user of the printer operates the release section, it is possible to set the head assembly so that it does not fall under its own weight.

[0018] A fifth aspect of the present invention is a printer described in any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the regulating portion is configured to guide the head assembly when inserting the head assembly into the printer body.

[0019] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the workability when inserting the head assembly into the printer body is improved.

[0020] In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the restricting portion has one of a protrusion extending in the insertion / removal direction of the print head assembly and a U-shaped portion that sandwiches the protrusion, In the printer according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the head assembly has the other of the protrusion and the U-shaped portion.

[0021] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to engage the head cover with the head assembly using a simple structure.

[0022] A seventh aspect of the present invention is a printer according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, which is provided with a position adjustment mechanism that enables adjustment of the position of the head assembly in the forward and backward directions when the direction in which the printed printing medium is advanced by the print head is defined as forward.

[0023] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to improve print quality by adjusting the position of the head assembly.

[0024] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows the external appearance of a printer 1 according to one embodiment. For ease of explanation, XYZ coordinates will be defined below as shown in Figure 1. That is, +X and -X respectively indicate the left-right direction of the printer 1, +Y and -Y respectively indicate the front-rear direction of the printer 1, and +Z and -Z respectively indicate the up-down direction of the printer 1. An issuing port 5 for issuing (discharging) printed labels is provided on the front of the printer 1. An open cover 6 is attached to one side of the printer 1 by two hinges 7 so that it can be opened and closed in the vertical direction. The "depth direction" referred to as appropriate in the following description is essentially the same direction as the insertion and removal direction of the head assembly described below, and the direction in which the head assembly is removed is sometimes referred to as "front in the depth direction," and the direction in which the head assembly is inserted is sometimes referred to as "rear in the depth direction." The "width direction" referred to as appropriate in the following description is the width direction of the continuous paper CP being transported, which is equivalent to the left-right direction of the printer 1.

[0025] 2 and 3 are a perspective view and a side view, respectively, of the main part of the printer 1 with the interior visible. Inside the printer 1, there are installed a paper supply unit 10 located at the rear, a printing unit 11 located at the front, and an ink ribbon unit 12 located above.

[0026] The paper supply unit 10 is loaded with roll paper R. As shown in FIG. 2, the roll paper R is a continuous paper CP wound into a roll. The continuous paper CP includes a strip-shaped backing sheet PM and multiple labels PL removably attached to the backing sheet PM at intervals. The surface (front) of the backing sheet PM that contacts the adhesive surface of the labels PL is coated with a release agent such as silicone, making it easy to peel the labels PL. Position detection marks IM indicating the position of the labels may be formed at predetermined intervals along the length of the backing sheet PM on the side (back) where the labels PL are not affixed. The labels PL may be made of either thermal paper or plain paper. In the case of thermal paper, a thermosensitive coloring layer is formed on the surface that changes color to a specific color (such as black or red) when it reaches a predetermined temperature range. Although not shown, the paper supply unit 10 can also be loaded with roll paper made of linerless labels wound into a roll, each with an adhesive surface coated with an adhesive on the reverse side of the printing surface.

[0027] The paper supply unit 10 includes a support shaft 10a and a roll guide 10b, and holds the roll paper R and supplies the continuous paper CP fed from the roll paper R to the printing unit 11. The support shaft 10a supports the roll paper R in a freely rotatable state. The roll guide 10b secures the roll paper R and is installed in a freely movable state along the axial direction of the support shaft 10a so that its position can be changed according to the width of the roll paper R.

[0028] There are two types of continuous paper CP: front-wound labels and back-wound labels. Front-wound labels are wound with the label PL of the continuous paper CP located on the outer periphery of the roll paper R, and as shown in FIG. 3, the continuous paper CPs (dashed line) is fed from approximately the center of the height of the paper supply unit 10 toward the bottom of the printing unit 11. In contrast, back-wound labels are wound with the label PL of the continuous paper CP located on the inner periphery of the roll paper R, and as shown in FIG. 3, the continuous paper CPb (solid line) is fed from approximately the bottom inside the printer 1 toward the bottom of the printing unit 11. Note that the paper feed route of the continuous paper CP (CPs, CPb) in the printing unit 11 is the same whether it is front-wound or back-wound. Whether it is a front-wound label or a back-wound label, the continuous paper CP is transported with the label PL facing up.

[0029] The printing section 11 includes a print head unit 13, a support table 14 arranged below the print head unit 13, a damper 15, and a pressing device 24, and performs printing on the labels PL of the continuous paper CP. As will be described later, print head unit 13 is installed inside printer 1 in a state in which it can be opened and closed freely. When print head unit 13 is in a closed state, a paper passage route is formed between print head unit 13 and support base 14. The paper passage route is connected to issue port 5 (see Figure 1). A head lock lever 16 that maintains the closed state of the print head unit 13 is installed on the support base 14. When the head lock lever 16 is operated, the closed state of the print head unit 13 is released, the front part of the print head unit 13 is lifted, and the print head unit 13 opens (moves away from the platen roller 23). Damper 15 applies tension to the continuous paper CP. In this embodiment, damper 15 includes outer damper 15a and inner damper 15b, and moves up and down (opens and closes) in conjunction with the opening and closing of print head unit 13. However, when print head unit 13 is closed, outer damper 15a and inner damper 15b are installed in a swingable state so that they can each apply tension to the continuous paper CP.

[0030] The ink ribbon unit 12 includes a ribbon supply unit 12a and a ribbon winding unit 12b, and supplies and winds up the ink ribbon RB coated with printing ink. The ribbon supply unit 12a supports the ink ribbon RB wound in a roll so that it can rotate freely. The ribbon winding unit 12b winds up and collects the ink ribbon RB after printing. When the ink ribbon RB is to be used, the ink ribbon RB pulled out from the ribbon supply unit 12a is passed under the print head unit 13 and wound up by the ribbon winding unit 12b.

[0031] In this printer 1, the continuous paper CP (CPs, CPb) fed from the roll paper R in the paper supply unit 10 is transported via the damper 15 to the paper route between the print head unit 13 and the support base 14, and along the way, the label PL of the continuous paper CP is printed. After the printing process, the continuous paper CP is discharged from the printer 1 through the issuing port 5.

[0032] Next, the configuration of the printing unit 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the printing unit 11 when the print head unit 13 is in an open state. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the head mechanism 35 provided in the printing unit 11 when viewed from a different perspective than in Fig. 4.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the print head unit 13 is supported on the main frame (not shown) of the printer 1 by a swing shaft S1 provided at the rear so that the print head unit 13 can swing or rotate (i.e., open and close) around the X axis.

[0034] A thermal head 18 (an example of a print head) is installed on the underside of the print head unit 13 (the surface facing the paper feed route) with its heat generating portion 18L (see FIG. 5) facing the paper feed route. The heat generating portion 18L of the thermal head 18 is formed by a glaze layer that protrudes a predetermined amount (for example, several tens of μm) from the substrate of the thermal head 18, and includes multiple heat generating resistors (heat generating elements) that generate heat when energized, and prints on the labels PL of the paper web CP. These multiple heat generating resistors are aligned in the width direction of the paper web CP (the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the paper web CP).

[0035] A pair of engagement claws 19 (see Figure 4) are provided on the underside of the front side of the print head unit 13 so as to sandwich the axis of the thermal head 18. Behind the engagement claws 19 on the print head unit 13, pins 20 are provided that protrude outward from both side surfaces of the print head unit 13.

[0036] The print head unit 13 is biased in the open direction by a torsion spring 21 (see Figure 5) attached to the swing shaft S1, and is maintained in a closed state by a pair of locking claws 22 on the support base 14 that are respectively hooked onto a pair of pins 20 on the bottom of the print head unit 13. When the head lock lever 16 is operated rearward, the locking claws 22 move rearward in conjunction with this and disengage from the pin 20. When the locking claws 22 disengage from the pin 20, the print head unit 13 is designed to automatically open due to the biasing force of the torsion spring 21, as shown in Figure 4.

[0037] When the print head unit 13 is in the closed state, a pair of engagement claws 19 (see FIG. 4) of the print head unit 13 are fitted onto both ends of the rotation shaft of the platen roller 23.

[0038] The platen roller 23 transports the continuous paper CP fed from the paper supply unit 10 along the paper passage route to the issue port 5 (see FIG. 1). The platen roller 23 is installed on top of the support base 14 in a state where it can rotate in both forward and reverse directions, and during printing, it rotates while clamping the continuous paper CP together with the thermal head 18. A gear G1 is connected to one axial end of the rotation shaft of the platen roller 23. This gear G1 is engaged with the rotation shaft of a stepping motor (not shown). When the continuous paper CP is plain paper, the platen roller 23 rotates during printing while sandwiching the continuous paper CP and the ink ribbon RB together with the thermal head 18. In this case, the ink ribbon RB is transported from the ribbon supply unit 12a via ribbon rollers 121 and 122 (see FIG. 4) provided in the print head unit 13, and is taken up by the ribbon take-up unit 12b.

[0039] 5, the head release part 30 is arranged to be exposed when the print head unit 13 is in the open state. As will be described in detail later, by operating the head release part 30 in direction D1 (+X direction), the head cover 39 can be swung downward, allowing the thermal head 18 to be replaced.

[0040] Next, the head mechanism 35 provided in the print head unit 13 will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 10. The head mechanism 35 is a mechanism associated with the thermal head 18 in a state in which the support plate 17, ribbon rollers 121 and 122, swing shaft S1, etc. have been removed from the print head unit 13. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the main part of the head mechanism 35 as seen from above, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the main part of the head mechanism 35 as seen from below. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the head mechanism 35 includes the thermal head 18, a head holding portion 36, a pin pressing portion 37, a head cover 39, a swing shaft 40, a rotation shaft 41, and the like.

[0041] 6 and 7, a head attachment member 38 is fixed to the thermal head 18. The head attachment member 38 is sometimes referred to as a "thermal head bracket." Fig. 8 includes an exploded perspective view showing the method of attaching the thermal head 18 and the head accessory 38, and a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view cut at the center in the longitudinal direction) of the thermal head 18. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the head accessory 38 and an enlarged view (side view) seen from arrow A. 8, the head accessory member 38 is a plate-shaped member and includes a central plate 381 and a pair of end plates 382. The central plate 381 is attached to the thermal head 18 and extends in the depth and width directions. Each of the pair of end plates 382 is disposed on one end side and the other end side of the central plate 381 in the lateral direction and extends in the depth and height directions. The end plates 382 extend downward from an end 381L of the central plate 381. An upwardly protruding pin 38P is attached to the top surface of the central plate 381. The pin 38P has a columnar portion 38Pc extending upward from the surface of the central plate 381 and a tapered portion 38Pt that tapers at the top of the columnar portion 38Pc. A recess 38Pr recessed toward the +X side is formed in the columnar portion 38Pc. As will be described later, the pin 38P is necessary for holding the thermal head 18 in the head holding portion 36.

[0042] The thermal head 18 includes a heat sink 181, a substrate 183, and a connector 184. Two or more substrates may be connected to the substrate 183, and the heat generating portion 18L described above is formed on the substrate 183. The heat sink 181 is provided to efficiently dissipate heat generated by the substrate 183. Two screw holes 181a are formed in the heat sink 181. 8, the substrate 183 includes a first substrate portion 183a on which the heat generating portion 18L is arranged, a second substrate portion 183b connected to the connector 184, and a flexible substrate portion 183c connecting the first substrate portion 183a and the second substrate portion 183b. The heat sink 181 is designed to be thickest at the first substrate portion 183a of the substrate 183 so that heat from the first substrate portion 183a, which generates the most heat, can be efficiently dissipated. The connector 184 is operably connected to the heat generating element of the heat generating unit 18L, and is configured to be detachably connected to a connector 501 (described later; see FIG. 15) in response to rearward movement of the head assembly 18A described later relative to the head cover 39. As shown in FIG. 15, the connector 501 protrudes forward in the depth direction. A protrusion 1811 that protrudes downward so as to cover the tip of the first substrate portion 183a is formed at the tip of the heat sink 181. This makes it possible to prevent jams from occurring when the continuous paper CP (especially in the case of thick paper) is backfed (conveyed in the reverse direction).

[0043] As shown in Figure 8, two holes 381a are formed in the central plate 381 of the head accessory 38, and screws 383 are fastened through these holes 381a into the screw holes 181a of the thermal head 18, thereby fixing the head accessory 38 to the thermal head 18. In the following description, the thermal head 18 and the head accessory 38 integrated together will be referred to as the "head assembly 18A" where appropriate. The head assembly 18A is detachable from the head cover 39. Note that "head assembly" is synonymous with "thermal head assembly." Two holes 381a are formed in the central plate 381 of the head accessory 38, and screws 383 are fastened through these holes 381a into the screw holes 181a of the thermal head 18, thereby fixing the head accessory 38 to the thermal head 18. In the following description, the combined thermal head 18 and head accessory 38 will be referred to as the "head assembly 18A" where appropriate. The term "head assembly" may also be referred to as the "thermal head assembly."

[0044] A pair of notches 382a are formed in the front ends of the end plates 382 on both sides of the head accessory 38. The notches 382a have a U-shape that opens upward. The notches 382a are located at the upper ends of the end plates 382 on the front side of the end plates 382 and are configured to engage with the rotary shaft 41 (see FIG. 6). As can be clearly seen in the side view of FIG. 9 (enlarged view of arrow A), the notches 382a are formed in portions of the end plates 382 that protrude upward beyond the upper surface of the central plate 381. A cleft-shaped notch 385 is formed between this protruding portion and the end 381L of the central plate 381. As will be described later, the cutout 382a is provided for adjusting the front-to-rear position of the thermal head 18. The cutout 382b is an example of a U-shaped portion that holds the guide protrusion 393 of the head cover 39. The cutout 382b is also part of a guide mechanism that allows the head assembly 18A to be inserted and removed from the printer 1 smoothly.

[0045] A notch 382b is formed in the rear end of each end plate 382 on each side of the head accessory member 38. The notch 382b is configured to slidably engage with a guide protrusion 393 (described below; see FIG. 15) of the head cover 39 as the head assembly 18A moves rearward relative to the head cover 39. As shown in FIG. 9, the notch 382b of the end plate 382 is defined by an upper protrusion 382b1 and a lower protrusion 382b2 that extend rearward at the rear end of the end plate 382. The end 381L of the central plate 381 extends linearly from the rear end of the upper protrusion 382b1 to the rear end of the cleft-shaped notch 385.

[0046] The pair of end plates 382 do not have to have the same shape as long as they have the cutouts 382a and 382b. In one embodiment, the head accessory member 38 does not have a pair of end plates 382, ​​but has an end plate 382 on only one side. In that case, the head cover 39 does not need to have both of a pair of guide protrusions 393, which will be described later, but may have either one of the guide protrusions 393. On one side, the cutout portion 382b engages with the guide protrusion 393.

[0047] Next, the configuration of the main parts of the head mechanism 35 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the head mechanism 35 shown in Fig. 6. Note that the circuit board 50 shown in Fig. 6 is fixed to the head cover 39, but is not shown in Fig. 10 to improve visibility of the head cover 39. As shown in Figure 10, the head mechanism section 35 is composed of, from top to bottom, a head holding section 36, a head assembly 18A, and a head cover 39. The head holding section 36 and head cover 39 are supported by a swing shaft 40. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the swing shaft 40 is supported by the support plate 17 and is fixed to an internal frame (not shown) that is located inside the support plate 17 and is configured integrally with the support plate 17. The swing shaft 40 is parallel to the swing axis S1 of the print head unit 13.

[0048] The head holding unit 36 ​​detachably holds the head assembly 18A so that the head assembly 18A does not fall under its own weight, and releases the hold on the head assembly 18A in response to a predetermined operation on the head hold releasing unit 30 (see FIG. 5). By operating the head hold releasing unit 30, the head assembly 18A can be easily removed from the head holding unit 36 ​​(that is, the hold on the head assembly 18A can be released). The head holding portion 36 includes a plate-like member including a support plate 361 and side walls 362 provided on both left and right ends of the support plate 361, and a pin pressing portion 37, and detachably holds the head assembly 18A. A pair of engaging claws 19 that engage with both ends of the rotation shaft of the platen roller 23 are formed on the front ends of the side walls 362 on both sides of the head holding portion 36. Insertion holes 362a, 362b, through which the swing shaft 40 is inserted, are formed on the rear ends of the side walls 362 on both sides of the head holding portion 36.

[0049] The operating unit 42 is a rotation operating means for adjusting the position of the thermal head 18 in the forward and backward directions by moving the head assembly 18A forward and backward. Here, the forward and backward directions refer to the forward direction in which the printed label PL advances by the thermal head 18. The adjustment of the position of the thermal head 18 in the forward and backward directions is performed to obtain optimal print quality depending on the type of label (thickness, hardness, etc.). A rotary shaft 41, which rotates in response to a rotation operation relative to the operating unit 42, is supported on side walls 362 on both sides of the support plate 361 of the head holding unit 36. U-shaped cutouts 382a on both ends of the head assembly 18A fit into both ends of the rotary shaft 41 from below, thereby engaging the head assembly 18A with the rotary shaft 41. The operating unit 42, rotary shaft 41, and cutouts 382a of the head assembly 18A constitute a position adjustment mechanism. The head assembly 18A moves back and forth in response to rotation by the rotary shaft 41, thereby adjusting the position of the head assembly 18A (thermal head assembly), so the rotary shaft 41 can also be called a "head cover assembly adjustment shaft." The head position adjustment will be described in detail later.

[0050] The pin pressing unit 37 has a presser plate 37a and a coil spring 37b, and presses the pin 38P of the head assembly 18A when the head assembly 18A is held by the head holding unit 36. The presser plate 37a is mounted on the support plate 361 by pins 37f and 37g in a state in which it can move slightly along its longitudinal direction (the width direction of the web paper CP). The pins 37f and 37g are fixed with retaining rings or the like to prevent them from coming off the presser plate 37a. The head release unit 30 is formed as a portion bent downward from the presser plate 37a. In other words, the presser plate 37a and the head release unit 30 are integrally molded. The head release unit 30 penetrates a hole 36f formed in the support plate 361 and a hole 381b (see FIG. 8) formed in the head accessory member 38, and protrudes from the head mechanism unit 35 (see FIG. 5). A hole 36g is formed in the support plate 361 of the head holding portion 36, and a hole 37d is formed in the pressing plate 37a of the pin pressing portion 37. A pin 38P of the head assembly 18A passes through the hole 36g and the hole 37d and protrudes upward from the hole 37d. The presser plate 37a has a protrusion 37j that protrudes upward between the hole 37d and the pin 37g. The presser plate 37a has a protrusion 37i that is convex toward the protrusion 37j on the edge of the hole 37d. The coil spring 37b of the pin pressing portion 37 is mounted between the pin 37g and the protrusion 37j. The presser plate 37a is biased in the -X direction (the opposite direction to direction D1 in FIG. 5) by the coil spring 37b. When the presser plate 37a is biased by the coil spring 37b, the protrusion 37i engages with the recess 38Pr of the pin 38P protruding upward from the hole 37d, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of "the state in which the pin 38P is engaged" in FIG. 10. This locks the pin 38P to the presser plate 37a, and the head assembly 18A is held by the head holding portion 36.

[0051] 6 and 10, the pin pressing portion 37 has a pin abutment piece 37h. The pin abutment piece 37h is positioned slightly on the -X side from the tapered portion 38Pt of the pin 38P that protrudes upward from the hole 37d. In other words, the pin abutment piece 37h is positioned so that it abuts against the tapered portion 38Pt of the pin 38P when the head hold release portion 30 is operated in the D1 direction (+X direction).

[0052] To release the head assembly 18A from the head holding unit 36, the head release unit 30 is operated in the +X direction (direction D1 in FIG. 5) as described above. That is, the head release unit 30 of the presser plate 37a is moved in the opposite direction (+X direction) against the biasing force of the coil spring 37b. As the presser plate 37a moves in the +X direction, the pin abutment piece 37h abuts against the tapered portion 38Pt of the pin 38P, pressing down the pin 38P, and the engagement between the recess 38Pr of the pin 38P and the protrusion 37i of the pin pressing unit 37 is released. As a result, the head assembly 18A falls under its own weight.

[0053] The head cover 39 is swingable relative to the head holding portion 36 and is configured to cover at least a portion of the thermal head 18 from below. An insertion hole 395 is formed in the head cover 39, through which the swing shaft 40 is inserted, and the head cover 39 is swingable (rotatable) around the swing shaft 40. The insertion hole 395 is an elongated hole in the front-to-rear direction relative to the swing shaft 40, i.e., in the transport direction of the continuous paper CP, and therefore the head cover 39 is supported by the swing shaft 40 in a state in which it can be displaced in that direction. A pair of guide protrusions 393 are formed on both side portions of the head cover 39. The pair of guide protrusions 393 are respectively located at one end and the other end of the head cover 39 in the lateral direction in the width direction. The pair of guide protrusions 393 engage with the cutout portions 382b of the head assembly 18A, thereby connecting the head assembly 18A and the head cover 39. The guide protrusions 393 are part of a guide mechanism that enables the head assembly 18A to be smoothly inserted and removed from the printer 1. Furthermore, if guide protrusion 393 and notch 382b were not engaged, head assembly 18A and head cover 39 would be connected only by the connector (connector 184 and connector 501 (see FIG. 15)), which would increase the load on the connector. In contrast, by engaging guide protrusion 393 and notch 382b, the mechanical load on the connector can be reduced.

[0054] The head cover 39 includes a front thermal head mounting portion 391 and a rear circuit board fixing portion 392. The head cover 39 of the head assembly 18A is placed on the thermal head mounting portion 391. A threaded portion 392a is formed on the circuit board fixing portion 392, and the circuit board 50 is fixed by threading a screw into the threaded portion 392a via the circuit board 50 (see FIG. 6). Since the circuit board 50 having the connector 501 is fixed to the head cover 39, the head cover 39 having the connector 501 can also be regarded as the same as the "head cover."

[0055] Next, the operation of the head position adjustment mechanism will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a side view of the head holding portion 36 and the head assembly 18A in the vicinity of the rotation shaft 41, showing different positions P1 to P3 of the thermal head 18 in the front-rear direction. In the rotating shaft 41, the fitting portion 41a into which the notch 382a is fitted is eccentric with respect to the central rotating shaft portion. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 41 is rotated by the operating unit 42, the fitting portion 41a describes a trajectory of displacement in the front-to-rear direction, and the notch 382a is displaced front-to-rear accordingly (i.e., the head assembly 18A is displaced front-to-rear relative to the head holding portion 36). In Figure 11, position P2 is a position where the fitting portion 41a has moved rearward by a distance L1 from position P1. Position P3 is a position where the fitting portion 41a has moved rearward by a distance L2 (>L1) from position P1. While the head assembly 18A is displaced back and forth, the connector 184 of the head assembly 18A remains connected to the connector 501 provided on the head cover 39.

[0056] The printer 1 is provided with a pressing device 24 that adjusts the pressing force of the thermal head 18 against the platen roller 23. As shown in Figure 12, the pressing device 24 has a pressure operation panel unit 60 and a head pressure plate 70. The pressure operation panel unit 60 is a mechanism for adjusting the pressing force applied to the heat generating unit 18L of the thermal head 18 (see Figures 5 and 8), and is located on the top surface of the print head unit 13. The pressure operation panel unit 60 has an operation panel 61, a pressing force display unit 62, a pressing force change unit 63 (see Figure 13), and an operation unit 64.

[0057] The operation panel 61 is attached to the top surface of the print head unit 13. On the top surface of this operation panel 61, for example, two roughly flat, fan-shaped recessed areas are formed along the width direction of the continuous paper CP, and a pressing force display unit 62 is formed in the recessed areas. The pressure display section 62 displays, for example, five circles whose diameters gradually increase or decrease along the arc of a fan. Here, for example, it means that the larger the diameter of the circle, the greater the pressure.

[0058] In each recessed area of ​​the operation panel 61, a hole 61a (FIG. 12) is formed that penetrates the top and bottom surfaces of the operation panel 61. As shown in FIG. 13, a pressing force changing section 63 is formed around the hole 61a on the back surface of the operation panel 61. The pressing force changing section 63 is formed in a stepped shape so that the protruding height changes in stages along the circumferential direction of the hole 61a.

[0059] An operation unit 64 is installed at the position of the hole 61a in each recessed region of the operation panel 61 in a state in which it can rotate freely within the surface of the operation panel 61. As shown in Fig. 12, the operation unit 64 has a knob 64a, a large diameter portion 64b, a small diameter portion 64c, a coil spring 64d, and a protrusion 64e. The knob 64a is integrally formed on the upper surface of the large diameter portion 64b, with a portion of the knob 64a extending outward beyond the outer periphery of the upper surface of the large diameter portion 64b. A small diameter portion 64c is integrally formed on the back surface of the large diameter portion 64b. The small diameter portion 64c is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a coil spring 64d is attached inside the cylinder. The coil spring 64d is a member that abuts on the head pressure plate 70 at approximately the center in the longitudinal direction of the head pressure plate 70 and presses against the head pressure plate 70.

[0060] The small diameter portion 64c is inserted into a hole 61a in the operation face plate 61. A protrusion 64e protruding in the radial direction of the small diameter portion 64c is formed on the outer periphery of the small diameter portion 64c protruding from the hole 61a. The protrusion 64e is in contact with the stepped surface of the pressing force change portion 63 (see FIG. 13). As a result, when the operation portion 64 is rotated, the protruding length of the small diameter portion 64c changes in stages according to the protruding steps of the pressing force change portion 63, and the pressing force of the coil spring 64d against the head pressure plate 70 (i.e., the pressing force against the thermal head 18) changes in stages.

[0061] The head pressure plate 70 is a member that transmits the pressing force from the operation unit 64 of the pressure operation panel unit 60 to the heat generating unit 18L of the thermal head 18. The head pressure plate 70 is installed between the operation surface plate 61 and the thermal head 18 in an extended state so as to connect the point pressed by the coil spring 64d of the operation unit 64 and the heat generating unit 18L of the thermal head 18.

[0062] A hole 70b is formed in the bent portion 70a at the longitudinal rear end of the head pressure plate 70. A rotary shaft 71 is inserted into this hole 70b. As a result, the front end of the head pressure plate 70 is pivotally supported by the rotary shaft 71 in a state where it can swing freely up and down around the rotary shaft 71. Therefore, the height of the front end of the head pressure plate 70 can be adjusted according to the thickness of the web paper CP, allowing for good printing on web paper CP of various thicknesses.

[0063] The front longitudinal end of the head pressure plate 70 is bent downward, and a protrusion 70c is formed at this end. This protrusion 70c is designed to locally press against the back side of the heat generating portion 18L of the thermal head 18. The coil spring 64d of the operating portion 64 mentioned above comes into contact with the head pressure plate 70 midway between both longitudinal ends, and presses the head pressure plate 70.

[0064] Next, a method for replacing the thermal head 18 in the printer 1 will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. Figures 14 and 15 are diagrams showing the operation when the head assembly 18A is removed from the printer 1.

[0065] First, as shown in Fig. 5, when a user opens the print head unit 13 and pushes the exposed head release portion 30 in direction D1, the presser plate 37a moves in direction D1 (+X direction) against the biasing force of the coil spring 37b of the pin pressing portion 37 (see Fig. 10). This releases the pressing force on the pin 38P, and the pin abutment piece 37h of the presser plate 37a abuts against the tapered portion 38Pt of the pin 38P, pressing down the pin 38P. As a result, the head assembly 18A and the head cover 39 swing together around the swing shaft 40 due to the weight of the head assembly 18A, as shown in Fig. 14 (counterclockwise swing in Fig. 3). Here, the cutout portion 382a of the head assembly 18A is U-shaped and opens upward, so it does not impede the swing of the head assembly 18A.

[0066] At this point, the connector 184 of the head assembly 18A is connected to the connector 501 (see FIG. 15) of the circuit board 50 fixed to the head cover 39, and the notch 382b of the head assembly 18A is engaged with the guide protrusion 393 of the head cover 39. Therefore, the head assembly 18A and the head cover 39 are integrated. The swinging of the head assembly 18A and the head cover 39 is stopped when the pin 394 of the head cover 39 abuts against the pin abutment portion 362c of the head holding portion 36. In other words, the pin 394 functions as a limiting portion that limits the swinging amount of the head cover 39. Because the pin 394 limits the swinging amount of the head cover 39, the amount of movement of the head assembly 18A when the head assembly 18A is removed from the head holding portion 36 can be limited, making it easier to insert and remove the head assembly 18A.

[0067] Next, referring to FIG. 15, the operation of extracting only the head assembly 18A from the head assembly 18A and head cover 39 which are integrated together is shown. To remove the head assembly 18A, the user simply applies force to the head assembly 18A in the removal direction D2 in Figure 15. This force is equal to the force required to remove the connector 184 of the head assembly 18A from the connector 501 fixed to the head cover 39. When removing the head assembly 18A from the head cover 39, the cutout portion 382b of the head assembly 18A is U-shaped and opens on the side opposite to the removal direction D2, allowing for smooth disengagement. Furthermore, the cutout portion 382b and the guide protrusion 393 slide along the removal direction D2 when the head assembly 18A is removed, thereby disengaging and functioning as a guide mechanism when removing the head assembly 18A.

[0068] As shown in Figure 4, in the printer 1 described above, the print head unit 13 swings significantly upward when opened. That is, the insertion and removal directions (directions D2 and D3) of the head assembly 18A shown in Figure 2 face diagonally upward when the printer 1 is placed on a horizontal surface, which has the advantage that it is easy for a user standing in front of the printer 1 to replace the head assembly 18A.

[0069] It is also possible to remove the thermal head 18 from the head assembly 18A. In this case, as shown in Figure 8, the screws 383 are removed to separate the thermal head 18 from the head accessory 38, and a new thermal head 18 is then attached to the head accessory 38. In this case, because the hole 381a is elongated in the front-rear direction, it is preferable to use a dedicated jig to accurately adjust the attachment position in the front-rear direction. When attaching the replaced head assembly 18A to the printer 1, the procedures shown in Figures 14 and 15 are reversed. In this case, when the head assembly 18A is inserted (pushed in) along the insertion direction D3 in Figure 15, the connector 184 connects with the connector 501, and the head assembly 18A is attached to the head cover 39. At this time, the notch 382b and the guide protrusion 393 engage while sliding the head assembly 18A along the insertion direction D3, and therefore function as a guide mechanism when inserting the head assembly 18A. If this guide mechanism were not present, the connection position of the connector 184 and the connector 501 would have to be aligned without being visible, making it difficult to connect the connectors. Next, when the user pushes the head assembly 18A toward the head cover 39, the connector 184 on the head assembly 18A side is connected to the connector 501 on the head cover 39 side, and the notch 382b engages with the guide protrusion 393.

[0070] In one embodiment, before the connector 184 on the head assembly 18A side starts to contact the connector 501 on the head cover 39 side, the notch 382b of the head assembly 18A starts to contact the guide protrusion 393 and starts guiding the head assembly 18A. In other words, the head assembly 18A is configured so that, as the head assembly 18A moves rearward relative to the head cover 39, the notch 382b slidably engages with and at least partially engages with the guide protrusion 393 before the connector 184 connects with the connector 501. This allows the connectors to be smoothly coupled while the head assembly 18A is guided in the insertion direction D3. After the head assembly 18A and the head cover 39 are integrated, the user can lock the head assembly 18A by swinging (pushing up) the head cover 39 in the direction opposite to the arrow in Figure 14. That is, the pin 38P of the head assembly 18A is held by the head holding portion 36. That is, the pin 38P moves the presser plate 37a in the direction opposite to direction D1 (Figure 5) against the biasing force of the coil spring 37b, protruding upward from the hole 37d, and is held in that state by the pressing force.

[0071] As explained above, the printer 1 described above comprises the head assembly 18A including the thermal head 18, the head holding part 36 that detachably holds the head assembly 18A, and the head cover 39 that is swingable relative to the head holding part 36 and covers at least a portion of the thermal head 18. The guide mechanism formed by the cutout part 382b of the head assembly 18A and the guide protrusion 393 of the head cover 39 guides the head assembly 18A when it is inserted into or removed from the printer body, thereby improving the ease of replacing the thermal head 18 in the printer 1. Furthermore, because the cutout portion 382a of the head assembly 18A is formed in a U-shape that opens upward, the head assembly 18A can be easily attached to and detached from the rotary shaft 41. In other words, it is possible to smoothly insert and remove the head assembly 18A while also adjusting the front-to-rear position of the thermal head 18.

[0072] 15, the connector 184 on the head assembly 18A side and the connector 501 on the head cover 39 side are configured to be coupled or uncoupled in the insertion / removal directions (directions D2 and D3) of the head assembly 18A. This allows the connectors to be coupled or uncoupled together with the insertion / removal of the head assembly 18A, eliminating the need to perform the operations of inserting and removing the head assembly 18A and connecting the connectors separately.

[0073] 15 is configured to include the notch 382b of the head assembly 18A and the guide protrusion 393 of the head cover 39, but is not limited to this. The guide mechanism can take various forms as long as it guides the head assembly 18A when inserting or removing the head assembly 18A from the printer 1.

[0074] FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a modified example of the guide mechanism. 16A shows a cross section of the cutout portion 382b and the guide protrusion 393 shown in FIG. 15. Two opposing guide surfaces 382bs1 and 382bs2 are formed in the cutout portion 382b. The guide protrusion 393 is formed with sliding surfaces 393s1 and 393s2 for sliding on the guide surfaces 382bs1 and 382bs2, respectively, along the insertion / removal direction (directions D2 and D3 in FIG. 15). When guiding the head assembly 18A, the two guide surfaces and the two sliding surfaces come into contact simultaneously, and the head assembly 18A moves in the insertion / removal direction while being guided from two directions perpendicular to the sliding surfaces, which has the advantage of enabling stable guiding. However, the present invention is not limited to the case where two guide surfaces and two corresponding sliding surfaces are formed. The guide mechanism may also include one guide surface and one corresponding sliding surface. For example, as shown in FIG. 16B, in one embodiment, the guide mechanism has a guide protrusion 393A on which one guide surface 393As is formed along the insertion / removal direction, and a guide protrusion 382bA on which one sliding surface 382bAs for sliding on the guide surface 393As is formed. In this case, too, the guide function can be exerted when inserting or removing the head assembly 18A.

[0075] In one embodiment, the two sliding surfaces are not parallel to each other, and the two guide surfaces corresponding to each sliding surface are not parallel to each other. For example, the two guide surfaces of cutout portion 382bB shown in FIG. 16C are not parallel to each other, and the two sliding surfaces of guide protrusion 393B are not parallel to each other. In this case, too, cutout portion 382bB and guide protrusion 393B can engage with each other to provide a guide function when inserting or removing head assembly 18A.

[0076] 15, the guide mechanism is configured with a cutout portion formed on the head assembly side and a guide protrusion formed on the head cover side, but this is not limited to this and the reverse may also be true. That is, in one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16D, the guide mechanism is configured with a guide protrusion 384 formed on the head assembly side and a cutout portion 396 formed on the head cover side. The number of cutouts and guide protrusions constituting the guide mechanism is not limited to 1, and can be set to any number. For example, in Fig. 16E, the guide mechanism is composed of cutout portion 382bC having two cutouts formed therein and guide protrusion 393C having two corresponding protrusions formed therein.

[0077] Next, a printer 1A equipped with a head assembly 18B that is different from the head assembly 18A described above will be described with reference to Figures 17 and 18. Note that the configuration of the printer 1A can be the same as that of the printer 1, except for the head assembly 18B and a head cover 39A, which will be described later. 15, the connector 184 of the head assembly 18A is configured to be directly connected to or disconnected from a connector 501 arranged on the head cover 39. In contrast, the head assembly 18B differs from the head assembly 18A in that it is connected to a connector provided at the end of a wire extending from a control unit (not shown).

[0078] The printer 1A shown in Figure 17 includes a head assembly 18B and a head cover 39A. The head assembly 18B has connectors 184a and 184b connected to the thermal head circuit board. The connectors 184a and 184b are respectively connected to connectors 501a and 501b provided at the ends of wires extending from a control unit (not shown). In other words, wires (cables) are connected to the connectors 501a and 501b, respectively. FIG. 18 shows a state in which the connectors 184a and 184b are disconnected from the connectors 501a and 501b.

[0079] Similar to the head assembly 18A, the head attachment member of the head assembly 18B has a pair of cutouts 382bD formed on both sides. In one embodiment, the cutout length of the cutouts 382bD is longer than the cutouts 382b of the head assembly 18A (see FIG. 10). On the other hand, unlike head cover 39 (see FIG. 15), head cover 39A does not have a circuit board or connector mounted thereon. A pair of guide protrusions 393D are formed on both side portions of head cover 39A. In one embodiment, the protrusion length of guide protrusions 393D is longer than that of guide protrusion 393 (see FIG. 10). Unlike insertion hole 362a (see FIG. 10) of head cover 39, the insertion hole of head cover 39A for oscillation shaft 40 is circular (round hole). The notch 382bD of the head assembly 18B is configured to slidably engage with the guide protrusion 393D of the head cover 39A in response to rearward movement of the head assembly 18B relative to the head cover 39A.

[0080] As described above, in printer 1 (see FIG. 15), the connectors are connected (or disconnected) according to the connection (or disconnection) of head assembly 18A and head cover 39. In contrast, in printer 1A (FIG. 17), connectors 501a and 501b are not mounted on head cover 39A, and therefore the connection (or disconnection) of head assembly 18B and head cover 39A is unrelated to the connection (or disconnection) of the connectors. Unlike the head cover 39, the head cover 39A is connected to the head assembly 18B only by the engagement between the guide protrusions 393D and the cutout portions 382bD. The head cover 39A can swing around the swing shaft 40, but the swing of the head cover 39A is restricted by the engagement between the guide protrusions 393D and the cutout portions 382bD. The guide protrusions 393D function as a restricting portion that restricts the swing of the head cover 39A. In other words, the head cover 39A is held by the cutout portions 382bD of the head assembly 18B. In one embodiment, the protrusion length of the guide protrusions 393D and the cutout length of the cutout portions 382bD are set longer than the guide protrusions 393D and the cutout portions 382bD, respectively, to prevent the head cover 39A from rattling in the up-down direction.

[0081] A method for replacing the thermal head of the head assembly 18B in the printer 1A will be described below with reference to Figures 17 to 19. Figure 19 is a diagram showing the operation when removing the head assembly 18B from the printer 1A. The method for replacing the head assembly 18B is basically the same as that for the head assembly 18A of the printer 1, so the following mainly describes the differences from the head assembly 18A.

[0082] First, as shown in Figure 5, when the user opens the print head unit 13 and pushes the exposed head retention release portion 30 in the direction D1, the head assembly 18B and head cover 39A swing together around the swing axis 40. At this point, the notch 382bD of the head assembly 18B and the guide protrusion 393D of the head cover 39A are engaged. Therefore, the head assembly 18B and the head cover 39A are integrated. The swinging of the head assembly 18B and the head cover 39A is stopped when the pin 394 of the head cover 39A abuts against the pin abutment portion 362c of the head holding portion 36. This stopped state is shown in Figure 19. In the state shown in Figure 19, head assembly 18B faces diagonally upward relative to the horizontal plane (that is, guide protrusion 393D faces diagonally upward relative to the horizontal plane), so head assembly 18B does not fall off (drop) due to its own weight.

[0083] In the state shown in FIG. 19, when the user pulls out the head assembly 18B in the removal direction D2 (see FIG. 17), the engagement between the notch 382bD of the head assembly 18B and the guide protrusion 393D of the head cover 39A is released, and the head assembly 18B can be removed. In the removed head assembly 18B, as shown in FIG. 17, the connectors 184a and 184b remain connected to the mating connectors 501a and 501b. The user then performs the task of disconnecting the connectors, as shown in FIG. 18. This allows the head assembly 18B to be removed from the printer 1A.

[0084] The method for replacing the thermal head of the head assembly 18B is the same as that for the head assembly 18A.

[0085] When installing the replaced head assembly 18B in the printer 1, the procedure described above is reversed. That is, the user connects the connectors 184a and 184b of the replaced head assembly 18B to the pulled-out connectors 501a and 501b of the other connectors, and inserts the head assembly 18B along the insertion direction D3 in FIG. 17. When the user pushes the head assembly 18B in, the notch 382bD of the head assembly 18B engages with the guide protrusion 393D of the head cover 39A, and the head assembly 18B and the head cover 39A are connected (integrated). At this time, the notch 382bD of the head assembly 18B engages with the guide protrusion 393D of the head cover 39A while sliding the head assembly 18B along the insertion direction D3, and therefore functions as a guide mechanism when the user inserts the head assembly 18B. Thereafter, the head assembly 18B is locked by the user swinging (pushing up) the head cover 39A, just like in the printer 1 (see FIG. 14).

[0086] Next, the positional relationship between the head assembly and the head cover when the position of the head assembly is adjusted in the front-to-rear direction by the position adjustment mechanism in each of printer 1 (FIG. 15) and printer 1A (FIG. 17) will be described with reference to Figure 20. Figure 20 shows the case where the head assembly after adjustment is displaced rearward compared to before adjustment. In the printer 1, the insertion hole 395 of the head cover 39 relative to the pivot shaft 40 is an elongated hole that is long in the front-to-rear direction (the same as the transport direction of the continuous paper CP). Furthermore, because the head assembly 18A and the head cover 39 are connected by connectors (connector 184 and connector 501) as shown in FIG. 15 , when the head assembly 18A is displaced rearward, the head assembly 18A and the head cover 39 move together. In other words, the head cover 39 moves together with the head assembly 18A. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 20 , the position of the pivot shaft 40 within the insertion hole 395 changes before and after adjustment of the head assembly 18A. In other words, in the printer 1, the insertion hole 395 is set to be an elongated hole that is long in the front-to-rear direction so that the head assembly 18A and the head cover 39 can move together in the front-to-rear direction.

[0087] On the other hand, in the printer 1A, the insertion hole 395A of the head cover 39A relative to the pivot shaft 40 is a circular hole with a diameter slightly larger than that of the pivot shaft 40, so the head cover 39A is unable to move forward or backward relative to the pivot shaft 40. Furthermore, the head cover 39A does not have a connector for connecting to the connector of the head assembly 18B, so the head assembly 18B is not fixed to the head cover 39A. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 20, when the head assembly 18B moves rearward, only the head assembly 18B moves rearward independently, and the head cover 39A remains stationary while the head assembly 18B moves. As shown in FIG. 20, the engagement between the notch 382bD and the guide protrusion 393D changes as the head assembly 18B moves rearward.

[0088] As described above, the printer 1A described above includes a head assembly 18B including the thermal head 18, and a head cover 39A that is swingable around the swing shaft 40 and covers at least a portion of the thermal head 18. The head cover 39A has a guide protrusion 393D that engages with the head assembly 18B to restrict the swinging of the head cover 39A. In the printer 1A, when the head retention release unit 30 is operated, the head assembly 18B engages with the head cover 39A and they can swing together, which improves the workability of replacing the thermal head 18 in the printer 1A. Also, when the thermal head 18 is in operation, it is possible to restrict the swinging of the head cover 39A.

[0089] Although the embodiment of the printer of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Furthermore, the above embodiment can be improved or modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0090] The following supplementary notes are provided regarding the above-described embodiment. [Appendix 1] a head cover assembly mounting bracket having a thermal head assembly adjustment shaft; a head cover assembly configured to rotate relative to the head cover assembly mounting bracket, the head cover assembly includes a head cover and a thermal head assembly; The head cover is a first connector that protrudes forward in the depth direction; a first guide protrusion disposed on a first side of the head cover in the width direction, the thermal head assembly is detachable from the head cover and includes a thermal head and a thermal head bracket; The thermal head is a heating element configured to print; a second connector operably connected to the heating element, the second connector configured to detachably connect to the first connector of the head cover in response to rearward movement of the thermal head assembly relative to the head cover; The thermal head bracket is a central plate portion attached to the thermal head and extending in a depth direction and a width direction; a first end plate portion disposed on a first side of the central plate portion and extending in a depth direction and a height direction; The first end plate portion is a first notch disposed at an upper end of the first end plate portion on a front side of the first end plate portion, the first notch configured to engage with the thermal head assembly adjustment shaft; a second notch portion disposed at a rear end of the first end plate portion and configured to slidably engage with the first guide protrusion in response to rearward movement of the thermal head assembly relative to the head cover; Printer body assembly. [Appendix 2] the head cover further has a second guide protrusion arranged on a second side of the head cover in the width direction, The thermal head bracket is a second end plate portion disposed on a second side of the central plate portion and extending in the depth direction and the height direction, The second end plate portion is a third notch disposed at an upper end of the second end plate portion on a front side of the second end plate portion and configured to engage with the thermal head assembly adjustment shaft; A printer body assembly as described in Appendix 1, having a fourth notch portion disposed at the rear end of the second end plate portion and configured to slidably engage with the second guide protrusion in response to rearward movement of the thermal head assembly relative to the head cover. [Appendix 3] 2. The printer body assembly of claim 1, wherein the first end plate portion extends downward from a first end of the center plate portion. [Appendix 4] 4. The printer body assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first cutout is formed in a portion of the first end plate that protrudes upward beyond the upper surface of the center plate. [Appendix 5] The printer body assembly described in Appendix 4, wherein the thermal head bracket has a first cleft-shaped notch portion located between the first end of the center plate portion and the portion of the first end plate portion that protrudes upward beyond the upper surface of the center plate portion. [Appendix 6] the second cutout portion of the first end plate portion is defined by an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion extending rearward at a rear end of the first end plate portion; 6. The printer body assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first end of the central plate portion extends linearly from the rear end of the upward protrusion to the rear end of the first cleft-shaped cutout portion. [Appendix 7] The printer body assembly of Appendix 1, wherein the thermal head assembly is configured such that, in response to rearward movement of the thermal head assembly relative to the head cover, the second cutout portion slidably and at least partially engages with the first guide protrusion before the second connector connects with the first connector of the head cover. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1,1A...Printer 2...Front cover 3...Enter button 4...Display panel 5...Issuing port 6...Open cover 7...hinge 10...Paper supply unit 10a...Support shaft, 10b...Roll guide 11...Printing section 12...Ink ribbon section 12a... ribbon supply unit, 12b... ribbon take-up unit, 121, 122... ribbon rollers 13...Print head unit 14...Support stand 15...Damper 15a...outer damper, 15b...inner damper 16...Head lock lever 17...Support plate 18A, 18B...Head assembly 18...thermal head, 18L...heat generating portion, 181...heat sink, 181a...screw hole, 183...board, 184, 184a, 184b...connectors 38...Head accessories 38P... pin, 38Pr... recess, 381... center plate, 381a, 381b... holes, 382... end plate, 382a... notch portion, 382b, 382bD... notch portion, 382b1... upper protrusion, 382b2... lower protrusion, 383... screw, 384... protrusion, 385... cleft-shaped notch portion 19...Engaging claw 20...pin 21...Torsion spring 22...Lock claw 23...Platen roller 24...Pressing device 35...Head mechanism 36...Head holder 36f, 36g...hole, 361...support plate, 362...side wall, 362a, 362b...through hole, 362c...pin abutment portion, 37...pin pressing portion, 37a...pressure plate, 37b...coil spring, 37d...hole, 37f, 37g...pin, 37h...pin abutment piece, 37i...convex portion, 37j...projection, 30...head retention release portion 39,39A...Headcover 39h...through hole, 391...thermal head mounting portion, 392...circuit board fixing portion, 392a...threaded portion, 393, 393D...guide protrusions, 394...pin, 395, 395A...insertion hole, 396...notch portion, 397...sensor accommodating portion, 398...screw hole, 399...through hole 40...Oscillating shaft 41...rotating shaft, 41a...fitting portion 42...Operation unit 50...circuit board, 501, 501a, 501b...connectors 51...Wiring CP...continuous paper, PM...backing paper, PL...label, RB...ink ribbon, R...roll paper G1...Gear S1...Swing axis

Claims

1. a head assembly including a print head; a head cover that is swingable about a predetermined swing axis and that covers at least a portion of the print head; the head cover has a restricting portion that restricts swinging of the head cover by engaging with the head assembly; Printer.

2. the restricting portion engages with the head assembly in a state in which the head assembly is slidable in the insertion / removal direction of the head assembly; The printer according to claim 1 .

3. a head holding portion that detachably holds the head assembly, the head holding portion releases the hold on the head assembly in response to an operation on a release portion; the restricting portion maintains engagement with the head assembly so as to prevent the head assembly from falling under its own weight when the head holding portion releases the head assembly from being held by the head holding portion. The printer according to claim 1 .

4. the head cover has a limiting portion that limits the amount of swing of the head cover when the head cover swings in response to the release of the head holding portion from the head assembly; 4. The printer according to claim 3.

5. the regulating portion is configured to guide the head assembly when the head assembly is inserted into the printer body; A printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the restricting portion has one of a protrusion extending in the insertion / removal direction of the print head assembly and a U-shaped portion that sandwiches the protrusion, the head assembly has the other of the protrusion and the U-shaped portion; A printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. a position adjustment mechanism that can adjust the position of the head assembly in the front-to-rear direction when the direction in which the print medium printed by the print head advances is defined as the forward direction; A printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images