Cutting mechanism of printing device

Abstract

To provide a cutting mechanism of a printer which enables a cutter to operate with a low cost structure.SOLUTION: A cutting mechanism of a printer includes: a cutter (35) which cuts a part or an entire part of a thickness of a printed medium (20); a projection part (50) provided at the cutter; a gear train (44) comprising multiple gears which transmit driving force of a motor (43); and driving means (51) formed by a cam which is provided at one gear (48) of the gear train and comes in contact with the projection part provided at the cutter by rotation of the gear to drive the cutter.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting mechanism for a printing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Many printing devices, such as label printers, that print on strip-shaped tape are equipped with a cutting mechanism that cuts the tape after printing. In the case of an electric cutting mechanism, the force generated by a motor, which serves as a drive source, is transmitted to a cutter, and the tape is cut by the action of the cutter. A known structure for transmitting force to the cutter in a cutting mechanism is one that uses a cam mechanism (side cam protrusion) provided on a rotating disk (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-131316 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Printing devices that print on laminated tape that has a release paper layer (peeling paper layer) on the back side of the printing layer are equipped with cutting mechanisms including a full cutter that cuts both the printing layer and the release paper layer, and a half cutter that cuts only one of the printing layer and the release paper layer. Full cutters often use a scissors structure in which a pair of opposing blades cross to cut the tape. Half cutters often use a push-cut structure in which a blade with a stopper is pressed against a blade receiving member, and the stopper maintains a predetermined distance between the blade receiving member and the blade while cutting the tape. Half cutters with a push-cut structure have a greater load when cutting than full cutters.

[0005] When a half cutter or full cutter is operated via a rotating disk equipped with a cam mechanism as in Patent Document 1, a large torque is applied to the rotating disk that operates the half cutter, which has a large load during cutting. Therefore, if a power transmission structure is adopted in which the shaft of the rotating disk is fitted to the shaft of the final gear in a gear train that transmits the driving force of the motor, a special material with high hardness must be used for the shaft of the rotating disk so that it can withstand the torque during operation of the half cutter, resulting in a problem of high costs. Note that full cutters also have the same problems as the half cutter described above when a large load is applied during cutting (for example, when the tape to be cut is hard or thick).

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cutting mechanism for a printing device that is capable of operating a cutter with a low-cost structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A cutting mechanism of a printing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a cutter that cuts part or all of the thickness of a print medium, a motor that is located outside the cutter in the transport direction of the print medium, a gear train that is located outside the cutter in the transport direction of the print medium and includes a plurality of gears to which the driving force of the motor is transmitted, and a drive means that is located on one gear in the gear train and drives the cutter by the rotation of the one gear associated with the transmission of the driving force of the motor. a support wall provided inside the cutter in a transport direction of the print medium; and a plate portion provided outside the support wall in the transport direction of the print medium and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support wall. Equipped with The cutter is provided on one side of the plate portion, and the motor is fixed to the other side of the plate portion. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above aspect, it is possible to obtain a cutting mechanism for a printing device that is capable of operating a cutter with a low-cost structure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the internal structure of the printing device of the present embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a side view showing the internal structure of the printing device of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of a cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of a portion of the printing device including the cutting mechanism. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the operation of a cutting mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 3 show the internal structure of a printing device 10 according to this embodiment. The printing device 10 is completed when exterior components are attached to the outside of the internal structure shown in Figures 1 to 3. The printing device 10 is a label printer that creates labels by printing on tape 20 (Figure 1), which is a strip-shaped printing medium.

[0011] The tape 20 is housed in a tape cartridge 21 (FIG. 1). The tape cartridge 21 is loaded into the cartridge loading section 11 in the printing device 10, and printing is performed on the tape 20 that has been pulled out from the tape cartridge 21.

[0012] Printing in the printing device 10 is performed by thermal transfer, which uses heat to cause ink from an ink ribbon (not shown) to adhere to the tape 20. The cartridge mounting section 11 is provided with a thermal head 12, which is a print head that heats the ink ribbon during printing.

[0013] The tape 20 is configured by laminating a release paper layer (not shown), an adhesive layer (not shown), and a printing layer (not shown). An ink ribbon (not shown) housed in the tape cartridge 21 is transported over the printing layer side, and during printing, the ink contained in the ink ribbon melts due to the heat of the thermal head 12 and adheres to the printing layer.

[0014] The printing method used in the printing device 10 is not limited to thermal transfer printing. For example, it may be thermal printing in which heat from the thermal head 12 develops the color former contained in the printing layer.

[0015] A platen roller 13 is provided in the printing device 10 at a position facing the thermal head 12. The platen roller 13 is movable between a position separated from the thermal head 12 and a position in contact with the thermal head 12.

[0016] The tape 20 and ink ribbon pulled out from the tape cartridge 21 are passed between the thermal head 12 and the platen roller 13. By moving the platen roller 13 to a contact position with the thermal head 12, the tape 20 and ink ribbon are sandwiched between the thermal head 12 and the platen roller 13. During printing, the thermal head 12 is heated in this sandwiched state. Furthermore, by rotating the platen roller 13 in this sandwiched state, the tape 20 is fed in the longitudinal direction. After printing, the tape 20 is fed by the rotation of the platen roller 13 and ejected outside the printing device 10.

[0017] The printing device 10 includes a base chassis 14. The base chassis 14 constitutes the main body of the printing device 10 and is made of a highly durable material such as metal. Each component of the printing device 10 is attached directly or indirectly to the base chassis 14. The base chassis 14 includes a bottom plate 14a and multiple side walls protruding from the bottom plate 14a. The bottom plate 14a is generally rectangular, with the X-axis direction representing the direction connecting one pair of the four sides of the bottom plate 14a and the Y-axis direction representing the direction connecting another pair of sides of the bottom plate 14a. The X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are perpendicular to each other. The direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is the Z-axis direction.

[0018] Of the four sides of the bottom plate 14a, a support wall 15 (support member) is provided along one side extending in the Y-axis direction. The support wall 15 is a wall portion that protrudes from the bottom plate 14a in the Z-axis direction, has a predetermined thickness in the X-axis direction, and has a pair of side surfaces facing the X-axis direction. The support wall 15 may be part of the base chassis 14, or may be formed as a separate member from the base chassis 14 and then fixed to the base chassis 14.

[0019] As the platen roller 13 rotates, the tape 20 is transported generally in the X-axis direction. In other words, the X-axis direction is the transport direction of the tape 20. The Y-axis direction is the thickness direction of the tape 20, and the Z-axis direction is the width direction of the tape 20. The support wall 15 is a standing wall that is provided in a direction that intersects with (is substantially perpendicular to) the transport direction of the tape 20. With the support wall 15 as a boundary, the inside of the printer 10 (the left side in FIGS. 1 and 5) is the inside in the transport direction, and the outside of the printer 10 (the right side in FIGS. 1 and 5) is the outside in the transport direction. After printing, the tape 20 crosses the position where the support wall 15 is provided and is discharged to the outside of the printer 10. The support wall 15 is shaped so as not to obstruct the transport path of the tape 20, and an edge 15a that faces the transport path of the tape 20 is formed at the end of the support wall 15 facing the Y-axis direction.

[0020] A pair of edge portions 15a are provided near both ends of the support wall 15 in the Z-axis direction (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The distance between the pair of edge portions 15a is wider than the maximum width of the tape 20 expected to be used in the printing device 10, and the edge portions 15a are arranged at two locations across the area where the tape 20 passes in the Z-axis direction.

[0021] A tape guide that guides the tape 20 to determine the transport path is provided near the support wall 15. The tape guide is disposed on the inner side in the transport direction relative to the support wall 15. As shown in FIG. 5, the tape guide has a lower guide portion 17 and an upper guide portion 18 that are disposed separately on either side of the transport path of the tape 20 in the Y-axis direction.

[0022] The lower guide portion 17 is installed at a predetermined distance in the Y-axis direction from the edge portion 15a of the support wall 15, and is located slightly inside the support wall 15 in the conveying direction. The upper guide portion 18 is located next to the support wall 15 on the inside in the conveying direction. Between the upper guide portion 18 and the support wall 15, there is a gap equal to the thickness of a blade receiving member 36 of a half cutter 35, which will be described later.

[0023] After printing, the tape 20 passes between the lower guide portion 17 and the upper guide portion 18 and advances outward in the conveyance direction. The tip of the lower guide portion 17 is provided with an inclined portion that reduces the distance from the support wall 15 in the Y-axis direction as the tape 20 advances from the inside to the outside in the conveyance direction, and guides the tape 20 so that it advances in the appropriate direction.

[0024] The printer 10 is equipped with a cutting mechanism 30 along the transport path of the tape 20, and the tape 20 is cut by the cutting mechanism 30 after printing to complete the label. When cutting the tape 20 by the cutting mechanism 30, it is possible to select between full cutting by a full cutter 31 and half cutting by a half cutter 35. The cutting mechanism 30 will be described in detail below.

[0025] In the cutting mechanism 30, the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 are arranged at different positions in the conveying direction, with the full cutter 31 located upstream in the conveying direction (closer to the thermal head 12 and platen roller 13) and the half cutter 35 located downstream in the conveying direction (farther from the thermal head 12 and platen roller 13).

[0026] Each component of the cutting mechanism 30 is supported by a support wall 15, and the support wall 15 constitutes a support member that supports the cutting mechanism 30. In the printing device 10, of the full cutter 31 and half cutter 35 that are aligned in the conveyance direction, the half cutter 35 is provided adjacent to the support wall 15, and the full cutter 31 is provided inside the half cutter 35 in the conveyance direction (at a position farther from the support wall 15).

[0027] As shown in FIG. 5, the full cutter 31 has a fixed blade 32 and a movable blade 33. The fixed blade 32 is located adjacent to the upper guide portion 18 in the X-axis direction, and the movable blade 33 is located adjacent to the lower guide portion 17 in the X-axis direction. The fixed blade 32 is fixed to the upper guide portion 18. The full cutter 31 includes a movable member 34 (see FIGS. 2 and 5) that is supported on the support wall 15 so as to be rotatable about an axis (not shown) facing the X-axis direction. The movable blade 33 is attached to the movable member 34. The movable member 34 is biased by a tension spring 29 (see FIG. 5) in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 2) that moves the movable blade 33 away from the fixed blade 32. This separated state is the basic state of the full cutter 31. When the tape 20 is to be fully cut, the movable member 34 is rotated against the biasing force of the tension spring 29.

[0028] The full cutter 31 has a scissors structure and cuts the entire thickness of the tape 20 (from the release paper layer to the printed layer). Rotation of the movable member 34 brings the movable blade 33 closer to the fixed blade 32, and the cutting edges of the fixed blade 32 and the movable blade 33 intersect in the Y-axis direction, cutting the tape 20 between their respective cutting edges.

[0029] 4 and 5, the half cutter 35 has a blade receiving member 36 and a cutting blade 37. The blade receiving member 36 is a plate-shaped component disposed between the upper guide portion 18 and the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction, and is fixed with the side surface of the blade receiving member 36 in close contact with the inner surface of the support wall 15. In other words, the blade receiving member 36 is fixed adjacent to the support wall 15 in the feed direction of the tape 20.

[0030] The upper guide portion 18 is fixed to and in contact with the inner side surface of the blade receiving member 36 in the conveyance direction (the side surface opposite to the side fixed to the support wall 15). Furthermore, the fixed blade 32 of the full cutter 31 is fixed to and in contact with the inner side surface of the upper guide portion 18 in the conveyance direction (the side surface opposite to the side fixed to the blade receiving member 36). In other words, the fixed blade 32 of the full cutter 31, the upper guide portion 18, the blade receiving member 36 of the half cutter 35, and the support wall 15 are arranged in this order from the inside to the outside in the conveyance direction, and these components are fixed to one another.

[0031] The blade receiving member 36 has a supported portion 36a that fits along the side surface of the support wall 15, and the supported portion 36a is fixed to the support wall 15. A receiving portion 36b is provided at the tip of the supported portion 36a in the Y-axis direction, and has a bent shape that is bent outward in the conveyance direction relative to the supported portion 36a. The receiving portion 36b is in contact with an edge portion 15a of the support wall 15 in the Y-axis direction and extends longitudinally in the Z-axis direction. Because the receiving portion 36b is supported by a pair of edge portions 15a provided near both ends of the support wall 15 in the Z-axis direction, the position of the receiving portion 36b can be determined with high precision.

[0032] The cutting blade 37 is located on an extension of the support wall 15 in the Y-axis direction, and the tip of the cutting blade 37 faces the receiving portion 36b of the blade receiving member 36 in the Y-axis direction. A drive mechanism, which will be described later, changes the distance between the cutting blade 37 and the receiving portion 36b. Figures 2 and 3 show the cutting blade 37 in a state where it is separated from the receiving portion 36b.

[0033] In the half-cut state where the cutting blade 37 is closest to the receiving portion 36b, the tip of a stopper 37a (FIG. 4) provided on the cutting blade 37 abuts against the receiving portion 36b from the side opposite the edge 15a of the support wall 15, restricting further approach. The blade of the cutting blade 37 cuts partway into the tape 20, but stops in a state where the blade is separated from the receiving portion 36b by an amount equal to the difference between the protrusion of the stopper 37a and the blade. Therefore, in the half-cut state, the blade of the cutting blade 37 cuts through the adhesive layer and printed layer of the tape 20 and cuts partway into the release liner layer. In the portion where the blade of the cutting blade 37 has not cut, the release liner layer continues uncut in the X-axis direction.

[0034] As described above, the half cutter 35 has a push-cutting structure in which the cutting blade 37 with the stopper 37a is pressed against the blade receiving member 36, and the force from the cutting blade 37 is received by the blade receiving member 36, thereby cutting a portion of the thickness of the tape 20 (the adhesive layer and the printed layer).

[0035] The cutting blade 37 is attached to a movable member 40. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the movable member 40 is a plate-shaped component that can rotate around a rotation shaft 40a that faces the X-axis direction, and the rotation shaft 40a is connected to and supported by the support wall 15. The movable member 40 is disposed in a position along the outer side surface of the support wall 15 in the conveyance direction. As described above, the blade receiving member 36 of the half cutter 35 is supported on the inner side surface of the support wall 15 in the conveyance direction, so that the blade receiving member 36 is supported on one side surface of the support wall 15, and the movable member 40 is supported on the other side surface of the support wall 15 (the side opposite the blade receiving member 36 across the support wall 15).

[0036] In this way, by distributing and arranging the blade receiving member 36, which is the fixed part of the half cutter 35, and the movable member 40 to which the cutting blade 37, which is the movable part of the half cutter 35, is attached, on both sides of the support wall 15, the components of the half cutter 35 can be stored in an area close to the support wall 15 with efficient space utilization.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 2, the movable member 40 is substantially L-shaped when viewed from the side along the X-axis direction, and the vicinity of the bent part of the L is supported by a rotation shaft 40a. As shown in Fig. 4, the movable member 40 has a shaft hole 40b supported by the rotation shaft 40a, and is equipped with a first arm 40c and a second arm 40d that extend in different directions from the position where the shaft hole 40b is formed. The first arm 40c and the second arm 40d are each a plate-like portion that has a thickness in the X-axis direction.

[0038] A cutting blade 37 is attached to a surface of the first arm 40c facing inward in the conveying direction. The cutting blade 37 is fixed to the first arm 40c with a fixing screw 42. While the first arm 40c is positioned outward in the conveying direction from the support wall 15, the cutting blade 37 is positioned at the same position as the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction (aligned in the Y-axis direction), and the distance between the tip of the cutting blade 37 and the receiving portion 36b of the blade receiving member 36 can be changed by rotating (swinging) the movable member 40.

[0039] The cutting blade 37 moves by swinging the movable member 40 around the rotation axis 40a, and when the cutting blade 37 abuts against the receiving portion 36b, the tip of the cutting blade 37 is generally parallel to the receiving portion 36b (extending in the Z-axis direction). Therefore, the cutting force applied from the cutting blade 37 to the blade receiving member 36 during half-cutting is mainly in the Y-axis direction.

[0040] A tension spring 41 connects the first arm 40c of the movable member 40 and the spring hook 14b of the base chassis 14. The tension spring 41 applies a biasing force to the movable member 40 in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 2) that moves the cutting blade 37 away from the blade receiving member 36. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a state in which the cutting blade 37 is moved away from the blade receiving member 36 by the biasing force of the tension spring 41. This separated state is the basic state of the half cutter 35, and when half-cutting the tape 20, the movable member 40 is operated against the biasing force of the tension spring 41.

[0041] The second arm 40d of the movable member 40 extends along the support wall 15 and has a crank shape that is slightly bent midway from the support wall 15 toward the outside in the conveying direction. A position near the tip of the second arm 40d forms a flat plate portion parallel to the support wall 15, and has a protrusion 50 that protrudes from the side surface of the second arm 40d toward the X-axis direction (outside in the conveying direction) (see FIG. 4).

[0042] The base chassis 14 has a support plate portion 14c located on the outer side in the transport direction relative to the support wall 15. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a motor 43 is attached to the support plate portion 14c. The support plate portion 14c has a flat plate shape extending in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the motor 43 is supported by the support plate portion 14c with its output shaft 43a facing in the Y-axis direction.

[0043] The rotation of the output shaft 43a of the motor 43 is transmitted while being decelerated by the gear train 44. More specifically, the gear train 44 is made up of a first gear 45, a second gear 46, a third gear 47, and a final gear 48. 7、 The rotation is transmitted in the order of the final gear 48.

[0044] Each of the gears 45, 46, 47, and 48 constituting the gear train 44 is supported by the base chassis 14 or the support wall 15 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the X-axis direction. The first gear 45 meshes with a bevel gear 43b provided on the output shaft 43a of the motor 43, and converts the rotation of the output shaft 43a extending in the Y-axis direction into rotation of the first gear 45 about an axis extending in the X-axis direction. The second gear 46 and the third gear 47 are both double gears consisting of a large-diameter gear and a small-diameter gear. The final gear 48 is a gear that is connected to the third gear 43a. of 7 The outer circumferential surface of the gear 48 has an outer circumferential gear portion 48a that meshes with the small diameter gear. 7 or The rotation is then transmitted to the outer peripheral gear portion 48a.

[0045] The final gear 48 is disposed adjacent to the second arm portion 40d of the movable member 40 on the outer side in the conveying direction. As shown in FIG. 4, a fitting hole 48b is formed in the center of the final gear 48. A fitting portion 49b of a shaft portion 49a provided on the rotating member 49 fits into the fitting hole 48b. The fitting portion 49b and the fitting hole 48b have non-circular cross-sectional shapes, and this fitting connects the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 to rotate integrally. The axis (shaft portion 49a) that is the rotation center of the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 is parallel to the axis (rotation shaft 40a) that is the rotation center of the movable member 40 and the axis (not shown) that is the rotation center of the movable member 34.

[0046] 5, the rotating member 49 is located on the inner side in the conveying direction relative to the support wall 15. That is, the rotating member 49, the support wall 15, the second arm portion 40d of the movable member 40, and the final gear 48 are arranged in this order from the inner side to the outer side in the conveying direction. The support wall 15 is formed with a shaft hole (not shown) through which the shaft portion 49a is inserted.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 4, the shaft portion 49a has a cylindrical portion 49c on the base end side of the fitting portion 49b, and the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 are rotatably supported by passing the cylindrical portion 49c through a shaft hole in the support wall 15. The second arm portion 40d of the movable member 40 has an elongated hole 40e through which the shaft portion 49a is inserted. The elongated hole 40e is an arc-shaped hole centered on the rotating shaft 40a, and functions as a relief hole that prevents interference between the movable member 40 and the shaft portion 49a when the movable member 40 rotates around the rotating shaft 40a (see Fig. 6).

[0048] A recess 48c is formed in the final gear 48. The recess 48c is formed so as to open on the side of the final gear 48 facing the second arm portion 40d of the movable member 40 (the side facing inward in the conveying direction), and is formed in a fan-shaped region centered on the fitting hole 48b when viewed along the X-axis direction.

[0049] A cam 51 is formed on the inner surface of the recess 48c. The cam 51 is provided at one end of the recess 48c in the rotation direction of the final gear 48, and extends in a predetermined cam surface shape from the center side where the fitting hole 48b is located toward the outer periphery of the final gear 48. A protrusion 50 protruding from the second arm 40d of the movable member 40 is inserted into the recess 48c, and as the final gear 48 rotates in a predetermined direction, the cam 51 comes into contact with the protrusion 50. The cam 51 constitutes a drive means that drives the half cutter 35 by the rotation of the final gear 48.

[0050] 2 and 5, a cam protrusion 52 that protrudes in the X-axis direction (inward in the conveying direction) is provided on the rotating member 49 at a position eccentric to the shaft portion 49a. The movable member 34 has a cam surface 53 located near the cam protrusion 52, and the cam protrusion 52 can come into contact with the cam surface 53 as the rotating member 49 rotates.

[0051] The motor 43 is a DC motor, and by switching the rotation direction of the output shaft 43a of the motor 43, the rotation direction of the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 is changed. The drive direction of the motor 43 that rotates the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 in a first direction (counterclockwise in FIGS. 2 and 6) is called forward rotation, and the drive direction of the motor 43 that rotates the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 in a second direction (clockwise in FIGS. 2 and 6) is called reverse rotation.

[0052] 6A shows the initial state in which the cutting mechanism 30 is not cutting the tape 20. In the initial state, the cam protrusion 52 is away from the cam surface 53, and the movable member 34 is held in a position where the movable blade 33 is separated from the fixed blade 32 by the biasing force of the tension spring 29. Also, in the initial state, the cam 51 is away from the protrusion 50, and the movable member 40 is held in a position where the cutting blade 37 is separated from the blade receiving member 36 by the biasing force of the tension spring 41. Therefore, neither the full cutter 31 nor the half cutter 35 is performing a cutting operation on the tape 20.

[0053] 6(B) shows the state in which motor 43 is rotated forward from the initial state, causing final gear 48 and rotating member 49 to rotate partway in the first direction. The rotation in the first direction causes cam protrusion 52 provided on rotating member 49 to press cam surface 53. This causes movable member 34 to rotate against the force of tension spring 29, and movable blade 33 moves in the direction approaching fixed blade 32 (clockwise in FIG. 2), starting the cutting operation into tape 20.

[0054] 6(C) shows a state in which the motor 43 is further rotated forward from the state shown in FIG. 6(B) to rotate the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 in the first direction to a position where full cutting by the full cutter 31 is completed. In this state, the movable blade 33 completely intersects with the fixed blade 32, and the tape 20 is fully cut.

[0055] 6(D) shows a state in which the motor 43 is rotated in the reverse direction from the initial state, causing the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 to rotate in the second direction. The rotation in the second direction causes the cam 51 provided on the final gear 48 to press the protrusion 50. This causes the movable member 40 to rotate against the force of the tension spring 41, and the cutting blade 37 moves in the direction approaching the blade receiving member 36 (clockwise in FIG. 2), thereby performing a half cut on the tape 20.

[0056] A first detection switch 54 and a second detection switch 55 are provided around the rotating member 49 to detect the rotational position of the rotating member 49. The first detection switch 54 and the second detection switch 55 each have a protruding portion that comes into contact with a peripheral cam 49d provided on the outer periphery of the rotating member 49, and the protruding portion changes between a protruding state and a pressed-in state in response to a change in shape of the peripheral cam 49d caused by the rotation of the rotating member 49.

[0057] The operating state of the cutting mechanism 30 can be detected based on the positional relationship between the protrusion of the first detection switch 54 and the protrusion of the second detection switch 55. In the initial state shown in FIG. 6A, the protrusion of the first detection switch 54 protrudes, and the protrusion of the second detection switch 55 is pressed in. In the full-cut state shown in FIG. 6B, both the protrusion of the first detection switch 54 and the protrusion of the second detection switch 55 protrude. In the full-cut completed state shown in FIG. 6C, the protrusion of the first detection switch 54 is pressed in, and the protrusion of the second detection switch 55 protrudes. In the half-cut state shown in FIG. 6D, both the protrusion of the first detection switch 54 and the protrusion of the second detection switch 55 are pressed in.

[0058] During a full cut, the control unit of the printing device 10 rotates the motor 43 in the forward direction until the aforementioned full cut completion state is detected, and when the full cut completion state is detected, stops the motor 43 and then rotates the motor 43 in the reverse direction to return it to its initial state. During a half cut, the control unit of the printing device 10 rotates the motor 43 in the reverse direction until the aforementioned half cut state is detected, stops the motor 43 when the half cut state is detected, and then rotates the motor 43 in the forward direction to return it to its initial state.

[0059] Of the cutting mechanism 30 that operates as described above, the full cutter 31 cuts (full cuts) the tape 20 using a scissors structure in which the cutting edges of the fixed blade 32 and movable blade 33 intersect, so that no strong force is applied from the movable blade 33 to the fixed blade 32 in the Y-axis direction during cutting. In contrast, the half cutter 35 cuts (half cuts) the tape 20 using a push-cut structure in which the stopper 37a of the cutting blade 37 abuts against the receiving portion 36b of the blade receiving member 36, so that a force is input from the cutting blade 37 to the blade receiving member 36 in the Y-axis direction during cutting. The force applied to the blade receiving member 36 during half cutting varies depending on the model of the printing device 10, but as an example, a load of about 40 kg is applied.

[0060] In the printing device 10 of this embodiment, a cam 51, which is a driving means for driving the movable member 40 that constitutes the half cutter 35, is provided on the final gear 48 of the gear train 44 that transmits the driving force of the motor 43. In other words, the final gear 48 itself is configured to operate the movable member 40, without any other member being interposed between the final gear 48 and the movable member 40.

[0061] During half-cutting, the torque at the point when the half-cut state is detected and the motor 43 is stopped is transmitted to the cutting blade 37 via the gears 45, 46, and 47 of the gear train 44, the final gear 48, and the movable member 40, and a load is applied from the stopper 37a of the cutting blade 37 to the blade receiving member 36. In this load transmission path, the final gear 48 directly operates the movable member 40, so there are no weak parts and excellent load-bearing capacity can be obtained.

[0062] For example, as a comparative example different from the present embodiment, consider a case where the movable member 40 of the half cutter 35 is operated via the rotating member 49 rather than the final gear 48. In this comparative example, the strength of the portion where the fitting hole 48b and the shaft portion 49a fit together must be extremely high so that it can withstand the large torque that occurs during half-cutting. In particular, because the shaft portion 49a, which is located at the rotation center of the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49, fits into the fitting hole 48b, the torque that acts on the shaft portion 49a per unit rotation angle of the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 during half-cutting is extremely large. This requires measures such as forming the rotating member 49 having the shaft portion 49a from a special material with high hardness.

[0063] In contrast, in this embodiment, it is the movable member 34 that constitutes the full cutter 31, which is operated via the rotating member 49 and which has a lower load during operation than the half cutter 35. The full cutter 31 is designed so that the movable blade 33 is not pressed against the fixed blade 32 during full cutting, and therefore, compared to the half cutter 35, a large force is less likely to act on the support portions of the movable blade 33 and the fixed blade 32. Therefore, compared to the above comparative example in which the half cutter 35 is operated via the rotating member 49, the strength required for the shaft portion 49a of the rotating member 49 can be reduced. In other words, the cost of obtaining the rotating member 49 can be reduced.

[0064] The shaft portion 49a of the rotating member 49 passes through the shaft hole of the support wall 15 and the long hole 40e of the second arm portion 40d of the movable member 40 and engages with the engagement hole 48b, so that the final gear 48 and the rotating member 49 can be connected without interfering with the operation of the movable member 40.

[0065] The final gear 48 used to operate the half cutter 35 has a structure in which the outer peripheral gear portion 48a receives force from the third gear 47. Compared to rotation transmission at the rotation center position, such as the shaft portion 49a and the fitting hole 48b, rotation transmission at the outer peripheral gear portion 48a at the outermost peripheral portion of the final gear 48 reduces the load acting per unit rotation angle of the final gear 48, and therefore suppresses the maximum value of the load acting on the portion transmitting rotation to the final gear 48 when the half cutter 35 is operating. Therefore, the strength required of the final gear 48 can be reduced, and the cost of obtaining the final gear 48 can be kept low.

[0066] The cam 51 of the final gear 48 is provided as the inner surface of a recess 48c that is recessed into the side surface of the final gear 48, and a protrusion 50 provided on the movable member 40 of the half cutter 35 is inserted into the recess 48c. Therefore, when the cam 51 presses the protrusion 50 to operate the movable member 40, the cam 51 and the protrusion 50 abut at a position that is unlikely to generate a moment that would tilt the final gear 48 with respect to the rotational direction of the final gear 48, allowing for the effective transmission of force from the final gear 48 to the movable member 40 with high precision. Furthermore, because the cam 51 and the protrusion 50 abut within the recess 48c of the final gear 48, there is no need for a structure that protrudes outward from the final gear 48 to transmit force to the movable member 40, resulting in excellent space efficiency.

[0067] The movable member 40 is disposed adjacent to the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction (the conveying direction of the tape 20). Because the distance between the movable member 40 and the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction is short, the movable member 40 can be operated with excellent stability.

[0068] The second arm 40d of the movable member 40 is located between the support wall 15 and the final gear 48 in the X-axis direction, and a protrusion 50 is provided on the side of the second arm 40d opposite the side facing the support wall 15 (the outer side in the conveying direction). With this configuration, as shown in Fig. 5, the second arm 40d of the movable member 40 fits into the space between the support wall 15 and the final gear 48 in the X-axis direction, achieving a space-efficient arrangement and stable operation.

[0069] Furthermore, in the half cutter 35, the movable member 40 and the blade receiving member 36 are arranged on both sides of the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction, and like the movable member 40, the blade receiving member 36 is adjacent to the support wall 15 in the conveyance direction (X-axis direction). Because the distance between the blade receiving member 36 and the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction is short, when the blade receiving member 36 receives a load in the Y-axis direction from the cutting blade 37, a moment that tends to tilt the blade receiving member 36 relative to the input direction of the load is unlikely to act.

[0070] Furthermore, the blade receiving member 36 has a receiving portion 36b that is bent outward in the conveyance direction (toward the support wall 15), and the receiving portion 36b is positioned to contact the edge portion 15a of the support wall 15. Therefore, the cutting blade 37, receiving portion 36b, and support wall 15 are aligned in the Y-axis direction, and during half-cutting, the load from the cutting blade 37 is input linearly to the support wall 15 via the receiving portion 36b. Because the support wall 15 has high strength against a load (compressive load) input linearly in the Y-axis direction, receiving the load at the edge portion 15a is extremely advantageous in terms of strength. Furthermore, by directly receiving the force from the receiving portion 36b at the edge portion 15a, shear load is less likely to occur between the supported portion 36a of the blade receiving member 36 and the support wall 15.

[0071] As described above, the cutting mechanism 30 can transmit the driving force of the motor 43 to the movable member 40 when the half cutter 35 performs a half cut using a driving force transmission structure that is simple in configuration and can be obtained at low cost. In particular, since the movable member 40 of the half cutter 35 is operated by the cam 51 of the final gear 48 of the gear train 44, it is possible to transmit the driving force of the motor 43 to the movable member 40 without using special parts that are high in hardness and expensive.

[0072] In addition, the cutting mechanism 30 has a structure that uses the support wall 15 to increase the strength of the movable member 40 and the blade receiving member 36, and the half cutter 35, which receives force from the final gear 48, has excellent operational reliability and durability.

[0073] The above-described embodiment is a specific example shown to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0074] As described above, the structure in which force is transmitted to the protrusion 50 of the movable member 40 via the cam 51, which is the inner surface of the recess 48c of the final gear 48, enables efficient power transmission in a space-saving manner. However, a structure other than the cam 51 may be selected as the driving means provided on the final gear 48. For example, it is possible to provide a protrusion such as the protrusion 50 on the side of the final gear 48, and provide a recess or hole in the movable member 40 into which this protrusion can be inserted, thereby transmitting power from the protrusion on the final gear 48 side to the recess or hole on the movable member 40 side.

[0075] Generally, a large load is applied to a half cutter during cutting, so it is preferable to have the half cutter 35 be the object to be driven by the cam 51 provided on the final gear 48 of the gear train 44, as in the above embodiment. However, a similar structure can also be applied to driving a full cutter. In other words, the cutting mechanism according to the present invention can be applied to all cutters, including half cutters and full cutters.

[0076] For example, in a printing device that does not have a half cutter but only a full cutter, the cutting mechanism of the present invention is applicable to the full cutter.

[0077] Furthermore, in the cutting mechanism of a printing device equipped with both the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 as in the above embodiment, the final gear 48 may be provided with a separate cam for operating the full cutter 31, separate from the cam 51 that operates the half cutter 35. In this case, both the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 are directly operated by the separate cams of the final gear 48.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the cam 51 is provided on the final gear 48 of the gear train 44, but it is also possible to provide a cam, which is a driving means for driving the cutter, on a gear other than the final gear 48.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the protrusion 50 has a cylindrical (columnar) shape, but the shape of the protrusion is not limited to this. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 10:Printing device 11: Cartridge mounting section 12: Thermal head 13: Platen roller 14: Base chassis 15: Support wall (support member) 17: Lower guide part 18: Upper guide part 20: Tape (printing medium) 21: Tape cartridge 29: Tension spring 30: Cutting mechanism 31: Full Cutter (Cutter) 32: Fixed blade 33: Movable blade 34: Movable parts 35: Half cutter (cutter) 36: Blade receiving member 36a: Supported part 36b: Receiving part 37: Cutting blade 37a: Stopper 40: Movable parts 40a: Rotating shaft (axis of movable part) 40b: Shaft hole 40c: 1st arm 40d: Second arm (plate-shaped part) 40e: Long hole 41: Tension spring 43: Motor 44: Gear train 45: 1st gear 46: 2nd gear 47: 3rd gear 48: Final gear 48a: Peripheral gear part 48b: Fitting hole 48c: Recess 49: Rotating member 49a: Shaft (gear shaft) 49b: Fitting part 49c: Cylindrical part 49d: Peripheral cam 50:Protrusion 51: Cam (driving means) 52: Cam protrusion 53: Cam surface 54: First detection switch 55: Second detection switch

Claims

1. a cutter that cuts a part or all of the thickness of the print medium; a motor provided outside the cutter in the conveyance direction of the print medium; a gear train including a plurality of gears to which the driving force of the motor is transmitted, the gear train being disposed outside the cutter in the conveyance direction of the print medium; a driving means provided on one of the gears in the gear train, the driving means driving the cutter by rotation of the one gear in response to transmission of the driving force of the motor; a support wall provided inside the cutter in the conveyance direction of the print medium; a plate portion provided outside the support wall in the transport direction of the print medium and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support wall; Equipped with The cutter is provided on one side of the plate portion, The cutting mechanism of the printing device, wherein the motor is fixed to the other side of the plate portion.

2. A cutting mechanism for a printing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the cutter is fixed to the support wall.

3. 3. The cutting mechanism of a printing device according to claim 2, wherein the support wall and the plate portion are part of a base chassis that constitutes a main body of the printing device and to which the components that constitute the printing device are attached.

4. The base chassis includes a bottom plate and a plurality of side walls protruding in directions approximately perpendicular to the outer periphery of the bottom plate; 4. The cutting mechanism of a printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the support wall is one of the plurality of side walls.

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