Printer device

Abstract

Provided is a printer device wherein a direction in which a portion which receives a pressure from a paper moves by rotation is close to a direction of the pressure received from the paper in a buffer portion which suppresses a change in tension of the paper at the start of printing, and a buffer effect at the start of printing can be easily obtained.SOLUTION: The printer device includes a printing part for printing while pulling out and conveying a paper sheet from a roll paper wound with a belt-like paper sheet, an action part for bending a conveyance path of the paper sheet positioned on the conveyance path to the printing part and pressing the paper sheet at a bent position, a link part interposed between the action part and an urging member and connected to the action part and the urging member and rotatably supported by an axis positioned between the action part and the urging member, and a guide part for guiding the paper sheet on a downstream side of the action part in a paper sheet conveyance direction and for narrowing an angle formed by the paper sheet on a downstream side of the action part and an upstream side of the action part by bending the conveyance path between the action part and the axis.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD An embodiment of the present invention relates to a printer device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, printers that pull paper from a roll of paper and print have been equipped with a buffer (known as a damper) to absorb shocks when printing begins. In printers that use roll paper, the tension on the paper changes when printing begins until the roll paper stabilizes and begins to rotate. To prevent a deterioration in print quality during this time, the buffer buffers the change in paper tension. While there are various types of buffers used in printers, small printers tend to use rotating buffers, which are advantageous for saving space.

[0003] However, in the case of a rotary buffer unit, the direction of rotation from the initial state where it is not pressed by the paper often does not match the direction of pressure from the paper. The greater the difference between the direction of rotation of the part that is pressed by the paper and the direction of pressure from the paper, the more difficult it is to obtain the buffering effect of the buffer unit at the start of printing, so improvement is required. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a printer device in which, in a buffer section that suppresses changes in paper tension when printing starts, the direction in which the part that receives pressure from the paper moves due to rotation is close to the direction in which the pressure received from the paper is received, making it easy to obtain a buffer effect when printing starts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The printer device of the embodiment comprises a printing unit that prints on a strip of paper as it is pulled out from a roll of paper around which the paper is wound, and transports the paper; an action unit that is located on the transport path of the paper toward the printing unit and bends the transport path, against which the paper is pressed at the bent position; a link unit that is interposed between the action unit and a biasing member and connected to the action unit and the biasing member, is rotatably supported on a shaft located between the action unit and the biasing member, and is biased by the biasing member in a rotational direction that resists the pressure of the paper; and a guide unit that guides the paper downstream of the action unit in the paper transport direction, and narrows the angle formed by the paper between the downstream side of the action unit and the upstream side of the action unit by bending the transport path between the action unit and the shaft. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a printer apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal structure of the printer device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the printer device with the housing open. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a buffer section for comparison with the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the buffer section in the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining another structural example of the buffer section. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the buffer unit of FIG. 6 is applied to the printer device of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of members that realize the action portion and the link portion among the portions that make up the buffer portion shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a printer device 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal structure of the printer device 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printer device 1 taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. The printer device 1 includes a housing 2, a paper storage section 3, a printing section 4, a cutting section 5, a buffer section 7, and a swinging section 8. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the printer device 1 with the housing 2 open. In the figure, the X-axis direction indicates the width direction (left-right direction) of the printer device 1, the Y-axis direction indicates the depth direction (front-back direction) of the printer device 1, and the Z-axis direction indicates the height direction (up-down direction) of the printer device 1. The positive direction of the Z-axis is from the bottom of the printer device 1 upward. The positive direction of the Y-axis is from the front to the rear of the printer device 1. The positive direction of the X-axis is from left to right when viewing the printer device 1 from the positive direction of the Y-axis.

[0008] The printer device 1 of this embodiment is a thermal printer, and is used as a receipt printer for printing (printing, outputting) receipts, for example.

[0009] The housing 2 houses the other components (paper storage unit 3, printing unit 4, cutting unit 5, buffer unit 7, swinging unit 8, etc.). The housing 2 is box-shaped and has a lid 21 on the front for opening and closing the main body unit 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower side of the lid 21 in this embodiment is rotatably supported on the edge of the opening of the main body unit 20, and opens and closes the opening of the main body unit 20 as it rotates. When the lid 21 closes the main body unit 20, a paper outlet 22 is formed between the upper side of the lid 21 and the edge of the opening of the main body unit 20, as shown in FIG. 1. The paper outlet 22 is an opening for discharging paper 91 from the housing 2.

[0010] The lid 21 of the printer device 1 has a support portion 211 on its upper edge. The support portion 211 supports the underside of the paper 91 discharged from the paper discharge outlet 22. The support portion 211 is provided so as to be detachable from the paper discharge outlet 22, or integrally with the paper discharge outlet 22. In other words, the support portion 211 is formed so as to be detachable from the lid 21, or integrally with the lid 21. The support portion 211 may also be called a table.

[0011] The paper storage unit 3 stores the roll paper 90 so that the paper 91 can be pulled out from the roll paper 90. The roll paper 90 is a rolled up strip of paper 91. The paper 91 is an example of a sheet-like printing medium. When the lid 21 is in a position that opens the main body 20, the paper storage unit 3 is open, and the roll paper 90 can be replaced or added.

[0012] The printer device 1 prints on paper 91 while drawing out and transporting paper 91 from a roll of paper 90 stored in a paper storage unit 3 .

[0013] The printing unit 4 prints on the paper 91 while pulling out and transporting the paper 91 from a roll paper 90 on which the paper is wound, and is equipped with a print head 41 and a platen 42. The print head 41 is provided on the main body 20, and the platen 42 is provided on the lid 21. In this embodiment, the platen 42 is a roller that is driven to rotate and transports the paper 91 sandwiched between it and the print head 41.

[0014] The print head 41 is a thermal head having a structure in which multiple heating elements are aligned. The print head 41 prints on the paper 91 held between the platen 42 and the print head 41 by heating the heating elements that correspond to the print pattern. The print head 41 is biased by a biasing mechanism in a direction that presses it against the platen 42.

[0015] The cutting unit 5 cuts the paper 91 and has a movable blade and a fixed blade. The movable blade is a blade that can move in the thickness direction of the paper. The movable blade is moved in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) in the figure by a movement mechanism that moves the blade under the control of a control unit installed in the printer device 1. The fixed blade is provided in a position opposite the movable blade and is fixed in its position within the main body 20.

[0016] When printing on the paper 91 is completed, the movable blade moves from the back side of the paper to the front side of the paper, and the paper 91 is sandwiched between the moved movable blade and the fixed blade, thereby cutting the paper 91. The front side of the paper corresponds to, for example, the printed side of the paper. The back side of the paper corresponds to the side opposite the printed side of the paper (the non-printed side).

[0017] The use of the cutting unit 5 is not limited to cutting (full cut) the paper 91. For example, the cutting unit 5 can also perform partial cut, which cuts off a part of the paper 91. Full cut and partial cut are set in advance by a user via an operation unit (not shown).

[0018] The swinging unit 8 is located downstream of the cutting unit 5 and upstream of the paper discharge outlet 22, and swings in contact with the paper 91 heading toward the paper discharge outlet 22. The swinging unit 8 is biased in a direction that presses down on the top surface of the paper 91. The printer device 1 is equipped with a sensor that detects when the swinging unit 8 swings beyond a predetermined degree.

[0019] When the paper 91 gets stuck near the paper outlet 22 and a jam occurs, the swinging unit 8 swings significantly and exceeds a predetermined degree. When the sensor provided in the printer device 1 detects that the swinging unit 8 has swung significantly beyond the predetermined degree, the control unit of the printer device 1 determines that a jam has occurred.

[0020] Furthermore, the swinging unit 8 holds the cut paper 91 between itself and the upper surface of the support unit 211 to prevent it from falling out of the paper exit 22. Here, the swinging unit 8 does not need to press against the support unit 211 to hold the paper 91; it faces the support unit 211 with a specified gap between them. The paper 91 curves according to the diameter of the roll paper 90 and has a stiffness according to its thickness, etc., so the center of the length direction moves away from the upper surface of the support unit 211 and maintains its curved state. The swinging unit 8 operates to press the paper 91 in a direction that weakens this curvature and brings it closer to the upper surface of the support unit 211, thereby holding the paper 91 between the swinging unit 8 and the support unit 211.

[0021] The buffer unit 7 functions as a damper, absorbing the tension on the paper 91 until the roll paper 90 begins to rotate stably as the paper 91 begins to be transported. In this way, the buffer unit 7 stabilizes printing in the printing unit 4.

[0022] To facilitate understanding of the buffer unit 7 of this embodiment, a buffer unit 700 will be described first as a comparison target with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the buffer unit 700 as a comparison target for the embodiment. In the schematic diagram of Fig. 4, the printer device 1 is used in a position where the lid 21 and the paper outlet 22 face upward.

[0023] The buffer unit 700 has an action unit 71, a link unit 72, and a biasing unit 73. The buffer unit 700 does not have a partial configuration (a guide unit 75 described later, see FIG. 5) that is included in the buffer unit 7 of this embodiment. This partial configuration (the guide unit 75) is not included in conventional buffer units.

[0024] The biasing portion 73 is configured to include a tension spring (an example of a biasing member), and, for example, one end (fixed end 731) is fixed inside the main body portion 20, and the other end (connecting end 732) is connected to the link portion 72. The biasing portion 73 biases the link portion 72 in a direction to rotate it counterclockwise in the figure.

[0025] The link portion 72 is interposed between the acting portion 71 and the urging portion 73 and is connected to the acting portion 71 and the urging portion 73, is rotatably supported by a pivot shaft 721 located between the acting portion 71 and the urging portion 73, and is urged by the urging portion 73 in a rotational direction that resists the pressure of the paper 91.

[0026] More specifically, link portion 72 is provided inside main body 20 so as to be rotatable in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions in the figure around a rotation axis 721. One end of link portion 72 is pulled by biasing portion 73, thereby biasing link portion 72 in the counterclockwise direction in the figure. An acting portion 71 is provided at one end of link portion 72.

[0027] The action unit 71 is located on the transport path of the paper 91 heading toward the printing unit 4 and bends the transport path, and the paper 91 is pressed against the action unit 71 at the bending position. More specifically, the action unit 71 presses the paper 91 pulled out from the roll paper 90 on the upstream side of the printing unit 4.

[0028] The action part 71 is provided at one end of the link part 72 and moves in accordance with the rotation of the link part 72. In this figure, the action part 71 is shown in a roller shape, but in practice it is not limited to this and may have any shape suitable for pressing the paper 91.

[0029] The action part 71 bends and detours the path of the paper 91 by pressing against the paper 91. The amount of this bending changes as the link part 72 rotates, becoming smaller at the end of the rotation. The path of the paper 91 in the final state with a small amount of bending, and the action part 71 and link part 72 are shown by two-dot chain lines. Hereinafter, the positions of the action part 71 and link part 72 shown by the two-dot chain lines will be referred to as the final position. In contrast, the positions shown by the solid lines will be referred to as the initial position. The action part 71 and link part 72 are located in the initial position when the action part 71 is not pressed against the paper 91.

[0030] In this configuration, the action unit 71 moves from an initial position indicated by a solid line to a final position indicated by a two-dot chain line as the paper 91 is transported. The action unit 71 moves on a rotational path centered on the rotation axis 721, and therefore the direction of movement from the initial position indicated by the solid line is the direction indicated by arrow P. The force that the action unit 71 receives from the paper 91 is in the direction indicated by arrow Q. Arrow Q is approximately parallel to a line that equally divides the angle formed by the paper 91 on the upstream side of the action unit 71 and the paper 91 on the downstream side.

[0031] To improve the printing performance of the printing unit 4, it is desirable that the tension of the paper 91 be stable, but the tension of the paper 91 changes when the paper 91 starts to be transported and until the roll paper 90 begins to rotate stably. Therefore, a buffer unit 7 (700) is provided to absorb the tension on the paper 91 and minimize the change.

[0032] However, with a configuration like that of buffer unit 700, the difference in direction between arrow P and arrow Q is large (i.e., the angle between both arrows P and Q is large). The smaller the angle between arrows P and Q, the more efficient the action unit 71 is in consuming (absorbing) the tension of the paper 91 as a force to move. Therefore, in the buffer unit 7 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a configuration is provided to bring arrow Q closer to arrow P.

[0033] 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the buffer unit 7 in this embodiment. In FIG. 5, the printer device 1 is used in a manner similar to FIG. 4, with the lid 21 and paper outlet 22 facing upward. The buffer unit 7 includes a guide unit 75 in addition to the configuration of the buffer unit 700. In this buffer unit 7, the force that the action unit 71 receives from the paper 91 is in the direction indicated by arrow R. Arrow R corresponds to arrow Q in the buffer unit 700.

[0034] The guide section 75 guides the paper 91 downstream in the paper transport direction of the action section 71, and narrows the angle formed by the paper 91 between the downstream and upstream sides of the action section 71 by bending the transport path of the paper 91 between the action section 71 and the pivot shaft 721.

[0035] More specifically, the guide unit 75 is provided, for example, as part of a member that forms a path along which the paper 91 passes as it is transported from the paper storage unit 3 to the printing unit 4. The guide unit 75 is provided, for example, as a convex shape on the paper transport path between the initial position of the action unit 71 and the printing unit 4, and bends the paper 91.

[0036] As a result, the angle formed by the paper 91 on the upstream side and the paper 91 on the downstream side of the action unit 71 in the initial position is smaller than that in the configuration of Fig. 4. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the angle formed by the paper 91 on the downstream side and the upstream side of the action unit 71 at the start of conveyance of the paper 91 is an acute angle slightly smaller than 90°.

[0037] Guide portion 75 makes the angle between arrow R and arrow P smaller than the angle between arrow Q and arrow P, and arrow R corresponding to arrow Q becomes closer to arrow P. This improves the efficiency of consuming (absorbing) the tension of paper 91 by moving action portion 71. This reduces the change in tension of paper 91 at the start of printing, thereby achieving good print quality.

[0038] It is preferable that the biasing portion 73 is attached so as to be positioned in a direction that allows it to expand and contract most easily at the start of conveyance of the paper 91. In other words, it is preferable that the direction in which the biasing portion 73 biases the connecting end 732 with the link portion 72 is substantially the opposite direction to the movement direction of the connecting end 732 due to the rotation of the link portion 72 at the start of conveyance of the paper 91.

[0039] Furthermore, it is desirable that the spring constant of the biasing portion 73 is a value that can adequately cushion (absorb the tension of the paper 91) when the paper 91 starts to be conveyed.

[0040] Next, the structure shown in FIG. 6 will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example structure of the buffer unit 7. The structure in FIG. 6 is a partial modification of the structure in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, the printer device 1 is used in a position where the lid 21 and the paper discharge port 22 face upward, similar to FIGS. 4 and 5. In this example, the link unit 72 has a bent portion 725. The bent portion 725 is located between the pivot shaft 721 and the action unit 71, and has a shape in which a concave surface faces the guide unit 75. The guide unit 75 is located in a position that brings the paper 91 close to the bent portion 725.

[0041] Link portion 72 is bent at bent portion 725, and is therefore shaped to follow the paper transport path, avoiding the tip of guide portion 75. This allows the tip of guide portion 75 to be inserted deeper between action portion 71 and pivot shaft 721. In buffer unit 7 in FIG. 6, the force that action portion 71 receives from paper 91 is in the direction indicated by arrow S. Arrow S corresponds to arrow R in FIG. 5.

[0042] In the buffer unit 7 of Figure 6, the angle formed between the paper 91 on the upstream side of the action unit 71 and the paper 91 on the downstream side in the initial position is even smaller than in the configuration of Figure 5. As a result, the angle formed by arrow S and arrow P is even smaller than the angle formed by arrow R and arrow P, and arrow S corresponding to arrow R is even closer to arrow P. This further improves the efficiency of consuming (absorbing) the tension of the paper 91 by moving the action unit 71. This further reduces the change in tension of the paper 91 at the start of printing, resulting in better print quality.

[0043] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the buffer unit 7 of Fig. 6 is applied to the printer device 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 shows a state in which the printer device 1 is used in a manner in which the lid 21 and the paper discharge port 22 face upward, similar to Figs. 4 to 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the members that realize the action unit 71 and the link unit 72, among the parts that make up the buffer unit 7 shown in Fig. 7.

[0044] 7 and 8, the action portion 71 is not a roller, but is provided integrally with the link portion 72 and forms one side of the link portion 72. In other words, the action portion 71 is provided integrally with the link portion 72 as a portion including one side of the link portion 72.

[0045] 7, the paper 91 is bent between the action unit 71 and the guide unit 75. If the printer device 1 is left overnight after printing, for example, and the space between the action unit 71 and the guide unit 75 is too narrow, the paper 91 may have difficulty returning to its original bent state in that area. To avoid this inconvenience, it is desirable to appropriately set the positions and sizes of the action unit 71 and the guide unit 75, taking into consideration the properties of the printing medium used as the paper 91.

[0046] Thus, according to this embodiment, in the buffer section 7 that suppresses changes in tension of the paper 91 when printing starts, the direction in which the action section 71 that receives pressure from the paper 91 moves due to the rotation of the link section 72 is close to the direction in which the pressure is received from the paper 91, making it easier to obtain a buffer effect when printing starts.

[0047] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1...printer device, 2...housing, 20...main body, 21...lid, 211...support, 22...paper outlet, 3...paper storage section, 4...printing unit, 41...print head, 42...platen, 5...cutting section, 7...buffer section, 700...Buffer section as a comparison example of the embodiment; 71...Action part, 72...link portion, 721...rotation shaft, 725...bending portion, 73... Urging portion (including an example of a urging member), 731...fixed end, 732...connecting end (an example of a connecting position), 75... Information department, 8...swinging part, 90...roll paper, 91...paper. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0049] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-179860

Claims

1. a printing unit that prints on a strip of paper while pulling out and transporting the paper from a roll of paper around which the paper is wound; an operating section that is located on a paper transport path leading to the printing section and bends the transport path, and against which the paper is pressed at the bent position; a link portion interposed between the acting portion and the biasing member, connected to the acting portion and the biasing member, rotatably supported by a shaft located between the acting portion and the biasing member, and biased by the biasing member in a rotational direction against the pressing force of the paper; a guide section that guides the paper on the downstream side of the action section in the paper transport direction, and bends the transport path between the action section and the shaft to narrow the angle formed by the paper between the downstream side of the action section and the upstream side of the action section; A printer device comprising:

2. the link portion has a bent portion between the shaft and the action portion, the bent portion having a concave surface facing the guide portion, The guide portion is located at a position that brings the paper closer to the bending portion.

2. The printer device according to claim 1.

3. The guide section makes an angle formed by the paper between the downstream side of the action section and the upstream side of the action section at the start of conveyance of the paper an acute angle.

2. The printer device according to claim 1.

4. The direction in which the biasing member biases the connecting position with the link portion is substantially the same as the direction opposite to the movement of the connecting position due to the rotation of the link portion when the transport of the paper starts.

2. The printer device according to claim 1.

5. The action portion is provided integrally with the link portion as a portion including one side of the link portion.

2. The printer device according to claim 1.

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