Cutting mechanism of printing device

Abstract

To provide a cutting mechanism of a printing device which is simply structured and is excellent in reliability on operation and durability performance.SOLUTION: The cutting mechanism of a printing device comprises a cutter (35) having a cutting blade (37) and a blade receiving member (36), which makes the cutting blade cut at least a portion of a medium (20) to be printed while making the blade receiving member receive force from the cutting blade, and a supporting member (15) provided to suppress the blade receiving member from deforming, where the blade receiving member is fixed adjacent to the supporting member.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. Printing devices that print on laminated tape that has a release paper layer on the back side of the print layer may be equipped with a cutting mechanism that includes a full cutter that cuts both the print layer and the release paper layer, or a half cutter that cuts only one of the print layer and the release paper layer.

[0003] Full cutters often use a scissors structure in which a pair of opposing blades cross to cut the tape, while 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 ensures a predetermined distance between the blade receiving member and the blade, allowing the tape to be cut.

[0004] A known issue with cutters with a push-cutting structure, such as half cutters, is that they are prone to bending moments due to the strong load applied when cutting. To address this issue, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique in which the cutter unit of the half cutter is fixed to the cutter fixing part only in the vicinity of the cutting position where the printing tape is cut.

[0005] In Patent Document 2, a blade receiving member that constitutes a half cutter is fixed to a fixed blade that constitutes a full cutter, and the load that the blade receiving member receives during half cutting can be borne by the fixed blade and the fixed blade support part. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-136301 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4069037 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The solutions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 may cause problems due to changes to existing cutting mechanisms. For example, in Patent Document 1, the overall structure may become complicated and it may become difficult to ensure the operating accuracy of the half cutter. In Patent Document 2, the full cutter and half cutter are arranged side by side with no gaps between them, which increases the difficulty of controlling the accuracy to operate the full cutter and half cutter without interfering with each other.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cutting mechanism for a printing device that has a simple structure, excellent operational reliability, and excellent durability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The cutting mechanism of a printing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a base chassis to which components of the printing device are attached and which constitutes the main body of the printing device; a cutter having a cutting blade and a blade receiving member, which cuts at least a portion of the print medium with the cutting blade while receiving force from the cutting blade with the blade receiving member; Equipped with the base chassis The base plate and the protruding portion from the base plate and a support member provided to suppress deformation of the blade receiving member, wherein the blade receiving member is fixed adjacent to the support member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above aspect, it is possible to obtain a cutting mechanism for a printing device that has a simple structure and is excellent in operational reliability and durability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [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 an enlarged front view of the vicinity of a cutting mechanism of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the operation of a half cutter. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an enlarged front view of the vicinity of a cutting mechanism of a printing device of a comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] 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, which is a strip-shaped printing medium.

[0013] The tape 20 is housed in a tape cartridge 25. The tape cartridge 25 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 25.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 5, the tape 20 is configured by laminating a release paper layer 21, an adhesive layer 22, and a printing layer 23. An ink ribbon housed in a tape cartridge 25 is transported overlapping the printing layer 23 side, and during printing, the ink contained in the ink ribbon is heated by the thermal head 12 to melt and adhere to the printing layer 23.

[0016] 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 the color former contained in the printing layer 23 is developed by heating with the thermal head 12.

[0017] 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.

[0018] The tape 20 and ink ribbon pulled out from the tape cartridge 25 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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 and has a predetermined thickness in the X-axis direction. Note that the support wall 15 is not completely flat, having irregularities and steps along the way, but is a generally flat plate-like portion that extends in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions and has a pair of side surfaces facing the X-axis direction.

[0021] As the platen roller 13 rotates, the tape 20 is transported generally in the X-axis direction. That is, 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 provided in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the tape 20 (substantially perpendicular to the transport direction). With the support wall 15 as the boundary, the inside side of the printing device 10 (the left side in FIG. 1) is the inside in the transport direction, and the outside side of the printing device 10 (the right side in FIG. 1) 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 printing device 10. The support wall 15 is shaped so as not to obstruct the transport path of the tape 20, and an edge 15a facing the transport path of the tape 20 is formed at the end of the support wall 15 facing the Y-axis direction (see FIG. 4).

[0022] 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.

[0023] A tape guide 17 that guides the tape 20 to determine the transport path is provided near the support wall 15. The tape guide 17 is disposed on the inner side in the transport direction relative to the support wall 15. As shown in Fig. 4, the tape guide 17 has a guide portion 17a and a support portion 17b that are disposed separately on both sides of the transport path of the tape 20 in the Y-axis direction.

[0024] The guide portion 17a 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 support portion 17b is located next to the support wall 15 on the inside in the conveying direction. Between the support portion 17b and the support wall 15, there is a gap that is equal to the thickness of a blade receiving member 36 of a half cutter 35, which will be described later.

[0025] After printing, the tape 20 passes between the guide portion 17a and the support portion 17b and advances outward in the conveyance direction. The tip of the guide portion 17a is provided with an inclined portion 17c 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. The inclined portion 17c guides the tape 20 so that it advances in the appropriate direction.

[0026] 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 below.

[0027] 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).

[0028] 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).

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the full cutter 31 is disposed inside the tape guide 17 in the feeding direction. The full cutter 31 has a fixed blade 32 and a movable blade 33. The fixed blade 32 is located adjacent to the support portion 17b in the X-axis direction, and the movable blade 33 is located adjacent to the guide portion 17a in the X-axis direction. The fixed blade 32 is fixed to the support portion 17b. The movable blade 33 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 biased in a direction away from the fixed blade 32 by a spring (not shown). This separated state is the basic state of the full cutter 31, and when fully cutting the tape 20, the movable blade 33 is operated against the biasing force of the spring.

[0030] The full cutter 31 has a scissors structure and cuts the entire thickness of the tape 20 (the entire thickness from the release paper layer 21 to the printed layer 23). The movable blade 33 approaches the fixed blade 32, and the cutting edges of the fixed blade 32 and the movable blade 33 intersect in the Y-axis direction, thereby cutting the tape 20 between their respective cutting edges.

[0031] 4, the half cutter 35 is disposed on the outer side in the feeding direction of the tape guide 17. The half cutter 35 has a blade receiving member 36 and a cutting blade 37.

[0032] The blade receiving member 36 is a plate-shaped component disposed between the support portion 17b of the tape guide 17 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.

[0033] The support portion 17b of the tape guide 17 is fixed to and in contact with the inner side surface of the blade receiving member 36 in the conveying 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 support portion 17b in the conveying 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 support portion 17b of the tape guide 17, 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 conveying direction, and these components are fixed to each other.

[0034] The method for fixing these members is not limited, but as an example, the blade receiving member 36 can be fixed to the support wall 15 by any method, such as screwing, gluing, or welding. Also, a co-fastening structure may be employed in which the support portion 17b of the tape guide 17 and the fixed blade 32 of the full cutter 31 are all screwed together to the support wall 15 in addition to the blade receiving member 36.

[0035] 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 (see FIG. 2). 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.

[0036] For example, in a structure where the receiving portion 36b is supported by the entire long end face of the support wall 15 that extends in the Z-axis direction instead of the pair of edge portions 15a as in the present embodiment, if there are shape defects (such as unevenness) in a part of the end face of the support wall 15, the receiving portion 36b may tilt. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the accuracy of the entire end face of the support wall 15. In contrast, in the configuration of the present embodiment, only the pair of edge portions 15a requires high-precision management. Since the region between the pair of edge portions 15a has a relief shape (concave shape) that does not contact the receiving portion 36b, it is possible to easily manage the accuracy of the support wall 15 and support the receiving portion 36b with high precision.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cutting blade 37 is composed of a blade portion 37a and a stopper 37b. The blade portion 37a and the stopper 37b are overlapped and joined in the X-axis direction. The blade portion 37a has a sharp cutting edge shape for cutting, and the stopper 37b does not have a sharp cutting edge shape like the blade portion 37a. As shown in FIG. 5, the stopper 37b has a larger protrusion amount in the Y-axis direction than the blade portion 37a near both ends in the Z-axis direction, and there is a difference S1 in the protrusion amount between the tip of the blade portion 37a and the tip of the stopper 37b. The difference S1 is set to a value (S1 < T1) smaller than the thickness T1 of the release paper layer 21 in the tape 20.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, the cutting blade 37 is located on the 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. The distance between the cutting blade 37 and the receiving portion 36b is changed by a drive structure described later. (A) in FIG. 5 shows a state where the cutting blade 37 is separated from the receiving portion 36b, and (B) in FIG. 5 shows a half-cut state where the cutting blade 37 is closest to the receiving portion 36b.

[0039] In the half-cut state, the tip of the stopper 37b abuts against the receiving portion 36b from the side opposite the edge 15a of the support wall 15, restricting further approach. The blade portion 37a cuts into the tape 20 partway but stops at a distance from the receiving portion 36b by the difference S1 between the stopper 37b and the protrusion amount. The difference S1 on the cutting blade 37 side and the thickness T1 of the release liner layer 21 are set to values ​​that allow the blade portion 37a to penetrate partway into the release liner layer 21. Therefore, in the half-cut state, the blade portion 37a cuts through the adhesive layer 22 and the printing layer 23, and the blade portion 37a is cut partway into the release liner layer 21. In the portions not cut by the blade portion 37a, the release liner layer 21 continues uncut in the X-axis direction.

[0040] As described above, the half cutter 35 has a push-cutting structure in which the cutting blade 37 with the stopper 37b 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 22 and the printed layer 23).

[0041] The cutting blade 37 is attached to a movable member 40. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the movable member 40 is a plate-shaped component that can rotate around a rotation axis 40a that faces the X-axis direction, and the rotation axis 40a is connected to and supported by the support wall 15. The area of ​​the movable member 40 near the rotation axis 40a is disposed 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).

[0042] 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.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 2, the movable member 40 is substantially L-shaped in a side view along the X-axis direction, and a portion near the bend of the L shape is pivotally supported by a rotation shaft 40a. A cutting blade 37 is attached to a first arm 40b of the L-shaped movable member 40. The cutting blade 37 is fixed to the first arm 40b with a fixing screw 42. As shown in FIG. 4, the cutting blade 37 is attached to the surface of the first arm 40b facing inward in the conveying direction. Therefore, while the first arm 40b is positioned outward of the support wall 15 in the conveying direction, 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). 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] A tension spring 41 connects the first arm 40b 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 that moves the cutting blade 37 away from the blade receiving member 36. Figures 2 and 3 show a state in which the cutting blade 37 is separated 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.

[0046] The second arm 40c of the L-shaped movable member 40 has a crank shape that is bent in the X-axis direction along the way. The vicinity of the tip of the second arm 40c is located inside the support wall 15 in the conveying direction, and has a cam follower 40d that protrudes from the second arm 40c (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0047] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a motor 43 is attached to the outside of the support wall 15, and the rotation of the output shaft of the motor 43 is transmitted while being reduced in speed by a reduction gear train 44. A cam member 45 rotates integrally with the final gear of the reduction gear train 44, and a cutter control cam 45a is formed on the cam member 45. The output shaft of the motor 43 extends in the Y-axis direction. The axes of the rotation shafts of the gears and cam member 45 that make up the reduction gear train 44 extend in the Z-axis direction. The direction of rotation transmission is changed via a bevel gear provided on the outer surface of the output shaft of the motor 43, and driving force is transmitted from the motor 43 to the reduction gear train 44.

[0048] 2, the movable blade 33 of the full cutter 31 has a cam follower 33a located near the cutter control cam 45a. The cam follower 40d of the movable member 40 is also located near the cutter control cam 45a. The cam follower 33a and the cam follower 40d are arranged on both sides of the cutter control cam 45a in the rotation direction of the cam member 45.

[0049] The motor 43 is a DC motor, and the rotation direction of the cam member 45 is changed by switching the rotation direction of the output shaft of the motor 43. The drive direction of the motor 43 that rotates the cam member 45 in a first direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 2) is called forward rotation, and the drive direction of the motor 43 that rotates the cam member 45 in a second direction (clockwise in FIG. 2) is called reverse rotation.

[0050] When the cam member 45 is rotated in a first direction by the forward rotation of the motor 43, the cutter control cam 45a presses the cam follower 33a. Then, the movable blade 33 moves in the direction approaching the fixed blade 32 (clockwise in FIG. 2) against the force of the spring that biases the movable blade 33, and the tape 20 is fully cut.

[0051] When the motor 43 is rotated in the reverse direction to rotate the cam member 45 in the second direction, the cutter control cam 45a presses the cam follower 40d, causing the cutting blade 37 to move toward the blade receiving member 36 (clockwise in FIG. 2) against the force of the tension spring 41 that biases the movable member 40, and a half cut is made in the tape 20.

[0052] A pair of cam position detection switches 46 are provided around the cam member 45 to detect the rotational position of the cam member 45. Each of the pair of cam position detection switches 46 has a protruding portion that comes into contact with the peripheral cam 45b of the cam member 45, 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 45b caused by the rotation of the cam member 45.

[0053] Depending on the relative positions of the protrusions of the pair of cam position detection switches 46, it is possible to detect an initial state in which neither cutter is operating, a full cut state in which the full cutter 31 is performing a cutting operation, and a half cut state in which the half cutter 35 is performing a cutting operation. Figure 2 shows the initial state, in which the protrusion of one cam position detection switch 46 is protruding and the protrusion of the other cam position detection switch 46 is pressed in. In the full cut state, the protrusions of both of the pair of cam position detection switches 46 are protruding. In the half cut state, the protrusions of both of the pair of cam position detection switches 46 are pressed in.

[0054] 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 state is detected, and when the full cut 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 partial cut, the control unit of the printing device 10 rotates the motor 43 in the reverse direction until the aforementioned partial cut state is detected, stops the motor 43 when the partial cut state is detected, and then rotates the motor 43 in the forward direction to return it to its initial state. The torque generated when the partial cut state is detected and the motor 43 is stopped is transmitted to the cutting blade 37 via the reduction gear train 44, cam member 45, and movable member 40, and a load is applied to the blade receiving member 36 from the stopper 37b.

[0055] 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 cutting blade 37 with stopper 37b 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.

[0056] In order to explain the effects of the printing device 10 of this embodiment, a comparative example having a different configuration from this embodiment is shown in Fig. 6. The cutting mechanism 130 in this comparative example has a full cutter 131 and a half cutter 135.

[0057] Full cutter 131 has fixed blade 132 and movable blade 133, and cuts the entire thickness of tape 120 using a scissors structure in which fixed blade 132 and movable blade 133 cross. Half cutter 135 has blade receiving member 136 and cutting blade 137, and cutting blade 137 has blade portion 137a and stopper 137b, and is supported by movable member 140. Then, a portion of the thickness of tape 120 is cut using a push-cut structure in which stopper 137b of cutting blade 137 abuts against receiving portion 136b of blade receiving member 136.

[0058] The tape guide 117 has a guide portion 117a and a support portion 117b located on both sides of the transport path of the tape 120 in the Y-axis direction.

[0059] In the cutting mechanism 130, a full cutter 131 is disposed adjacent to a support wall 115, which is part of the base chassis, on the outer side in the conveying direction. A tape guide 117 is disposed adjacent to the full cutter 131 on the outer side in the conveying direction, and a half cutter 135 is disposed further outward in the conveying direction from the tape guide 117. More specifically, with the support wall 115 as the reference, the fixed blade 132 of the full cutter 131, the support portion 117b of the tape guide 117, and the supported portion 136a of the blade receiving member 136 of the half cutter 135 are arranged in this order outward in the conveying direction. The supported portion 136a is fixed to the support portion 117b. Therefore, the distance from the support wall 115 to the blade receiving member 136 in the X-axis direction is large.

[0060] Furthermore, the receiving portion 136b of the blade receiving member 136 is bent outward in the conveyance direction, so that the position where the cutting blade 137 abuts against the receiving portion 136b is further away from the support wall 115.

[0061] 6(A) shows a case where a load is applied in the Y-axis direction from the cutting blade 137 to the receiving portion 136b of the blade receiving member 136 during half-cutting in the cutting mechanism 130 having such a structure. Here, the receiving portion 136b, which is the input point of the load, and the support wall 115, which ultimately receives the load, are significantly misaligned in the X-axis direction, so when a large load is applied to the blade receiving member 136, a large bending moment is generated that tilts it in the Y-axis direction.

[0062] Support wall 115 has high strength against a load (compression load) that is input linearly in the Y-axis direction. However, the thickness of support wall 115 in the X-axis direction is limited, and support wall 115 has a cantilever structure at the locations that support fixed blade 132 and blade receiving member 136, so support wall 115 is prone to deformation in the X-axis direction. If a large load is input from cutting blade 137 to blade receiving member 136 and the aforementioned bending moment occurs, there is a risk of deformation that bends support wall 115 in the X-axis direction, as shown in FIG. 6(B).

[0063] When support wall 115 bends, fixed blade 132 and blade receiving member 136 supported by support wall 115 also tilt along with support wall 115. As a result, the position of receiving portion 136b relative to cutting blade 137 deviates from the designed position, resulting in an excessive or insufficient amount of cutting depth during half-cutting. In the example of Fig. 6(B), the tilt of blade receiving member 136 increases the gap between receiving portion 136b and blade portion 137a, resulting in an insufficient amount of cutting depth by blade portion 137a.

[0064] Furthermore, if the deformation of the support wall 115 shown in Figure 6 (B) is plastic deformation rather than elastic deformation and the deformation of the support wall 115 is maintained even after the half-cut operation, the positional deviation of the blade receiving member 136 will continue even in the next and subsequent cutting operations.

[0065] Furthermore, if the deformation of the support wall 115 is maintained, the position of the fixed blade 132 of the full cutter 131 will also remain misaligned, which may result in an inability to perform an appropriate full cut operation. For example, in the state shown in Figure 6(B), the fixed blade 132 is located on the movement trajectory of the movable blade 133, and the movable blade 133 will collide with the fixed blade 132 without crossing it. If the support wall 115 is bent in the direction opposite to the direction shown in Figure 6(B), the gap between the fixed blade 132 and the movable blade 133 will become too wide, which may result in an inability to cut the tape 120.

[0066] Unlike the comparative example in Figure 6, in the printing device 10 of this embodiment, the support wall 15 and the blade receiving member 36 are adjacent to each other in the conveying direction (X-axis direction) without any other member sandwiched between them, and the distance between the blade receiving member 36 and the support wall 15 in the X-axis direction is short, so 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 it against the input direction of the load is less likely to act.

[0067] 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, the receiving portion 36b, and the 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.

[0068] For the above reasons, even if a strong force is applied from the cutting blade 37 to the blade receiving member 36 during half-cutting, the cutting mechanism 30 is unlikely to cause deformation of the blade receiving member 36 or the support wall 15, and the half cutter 35 has a structure with excellent operational reliability and durability.

[0069] The arrangement of the components that make up the full cutter 31 and half cutter 35 has the effect of improving load-bearing capacity, and there is no need to increase the size or weight of each component to enhance its rigidity. For example, the support wall 15 is set to the same thickness as the other walls that make up the base chassis 14, and no measures have been taken to increase the thickness of the support wall 15 alone, yet it is still able to fully satisfy the strength required as a support for the cutting mechanism 30. Therefore, the printing device 10, including the cutting mechanism 30, can be made small and lightweight, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0070] In order for the half cutter 35 to perform a reliable half cut, it is necessary to precisely control the distance between the receiving portion 36b of the blade receiving member 36 and the blade portion 37a of the cutting blade 37. Here, because the blade receiving member 36 is structured to prevent tilting, the distance between the receiving portion 36b and the blade portion 37a does not fluctuate, making it easy to control the position of the blade portion 37a of the cutting blade 37. Specifically, it is sufficient to appropriately control the difference S1 (FIG. 5) in the protrusion amounts of the blade portion 37a and the stopper 37b, and the requirement for the dimensional tolerance regarding the protrusion amount of the stopper 37b can be relaxed (it is not necessary to consider the case where the blade receiving member 36 tilts), thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the cutting mechanism 30.

[0071] The full cutter 31 has a configuration in which the half cutter 35 and the tape guide 17 are arranged between it and the support wall 15, and therefore the distance in the X-axis direction from the support wall 15 is greater than that of the half cutter 35. However, since the movable blade 33 is not pressed against the fixed blade 32 during full cutting, the full cutter 31 is less likely to experience a large force acting on the support portions of the movable blade 33 and the fixed blade 32 compared to the half cutter 35. Therefore, even if the full cutter 31 is arranged as in the cutting mechanism 30 of this embodiment, no large moment that would deform the support wall 15 acts during full cutting.

[0072] In this way, the cutting mechanism 30 in the printing device 10 of this embodiment was realized by focusing on the differences in the structural and operational conditions of the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35, and determining how to position the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 relative to the support wall 15 to obtain an advantage in terms of load-bearing capacity.

[0073] Furthermore, the blade receiving member 36 that constitutes the half cutter 35 is provided with a receiving portion 36b that is located on an extension of the support wall 15 in the Y-axis direction, and the receiving portion 36b and the support wall 15 are positioned in the direction in which the force received from the cutting blade 37 acts, making it even less likely that a bending moment that tilts the support wall 15 will occur.

[0074] Furthermore, the configuration in which the edge 15a of the support wall 15 abuts against the receiving portion 36b at two locations across the tape 20 passing area in the Z-axis direction (width direction of the tape 20) makes it easier to manage the positional accuracy of the receiving portion 36b, and the position of the receiving portion 36b can be determined with high precision.

[0075] Furthermore, the blade receiving member 36 (supported portion 36a) of the half cutter 35 and the movable member 40 that supports the cutting blade 37 are arranged on both sides of the support wall 15. This configuration improves the space efficiency for arranging the components of the half cutter 35, and also improves the cross-sectional rigidity due to the layered relationship between the blade receiving member 36, support wall 15, and movable member 40. This further improves the strength in the vicinity of the half cutter 35.

[0076] The above embodiments are specific examples shown to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0077] As a modified example, it is also possible to arrange the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 next to each other in the X-axis direction without locating the tape guide 17 between them. However, if the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 are adjacent to each other, there is a risk of interference occurring when the movable blade 33 of the full cutter 31 and the cutting blade 37 of the half cutter 35 operate. Therefore, it is desirable to ensure a predetermined clearance between the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 in order to absorb precision errors.

[0078] In addition to guiding the tape 20 with the guide portion 17a and supporting the fixed blade 32 with the support portion 17b, the tape guide 17 of this embodiment also functions as a spacer to ensure clearance between the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35. Because there are significant advantages to disposing the tape guide 17 between the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 in this way, the printing device 10 of this embodiment employs this configuration.

[0079] As another variation, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the half cutter 35 follows the configuration of this embodiment, but the full cutter 31 is arranged further outward in the conveyance direction than the support wall 15. In other words, the positional relationship between the full cutter 31 and the half cutter 35 in the X-axis direction is reversed, and the half cutter 35 and the full cutter 31 are arranged on either side of the support wall 15. However, cutting devices are often designed based on the position of the full cutter, and if the full cutter 31 were arranged further outward in the conveyance direction than the support wall 15, the distance from the thermal head 12 to the full cutter 31 would be longer, which could reduce the utilization efficiency of the tape 20 (increasing the area unused for printing).

[0080] From this perspective, the printing device 10 of this embodiment employs a configuration in which the full cutter 31 and half cutter 35 are arranged in this order from the upstream side in the transport direction. This configuration improves the utilization efficiency of the tape 20. Furthermore, by not arranging the full cutter 31 on the outer side of the support wall 15 in the transport direction, it is possible to prevent the printing device 10 from becoming larger, and in particular, to prevent the transport path in the X-axis direction from becoming longer.

[0081] In the printing device 10 of this embodiment, the cutter having the cutting blade 37 and blade receiving member 36 is a half cutter 35, but cutters having a push-cutting structure such as the cutting blade 37 and blade receiving member 36 are not limited to half cutters. For example, a cutter with a push-cutting structure (i.e., having a cutting blade and blade receiving member) to which the present invention is applied may be a full cutter that cuts the entire thickness of the tape. The issue of a bending moment being easily applied due to a strong load applied during cutting is due to the push-cutting structure, and therefore the technical concept of the present invention is useful for cutters with a push-cutting structure in general.

[0082] The inventions described in the claims of the present application as originally filed are as follows: [Appendix 1] a cutter having a cutting blade and a blade receiving member, the cutter cutting at least a portion of the print medium with the cutting blade while the blade receiving member receives force from the cutting blade; a support member provided to suppress deformation of the blade receiving member; Equipped with The cutting mechanism of a printing device, wherein the blade receiving member is fixed adjacent to the support member. [Appendix 2] The cutting blade and the blade receiving member constitute a half cutter that cuts a portion of the thickness of the print medium, and when cutting a portion of the thickness of the print medium, a stopper provided on the cutting blade is brought into contact with the blade receiving member, Further, a full cutter is provided to cut the entire thickness of the printing medium, 2. The cutting mechanism of a printing device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is a support wall provided in a direction intersecting with the transport direction of the print medium. [Appendix 3] the blade receiving member has a supported portion that is along a side surface of the support member, and a receiving portion that is bent relative to the supported portion and positioned along an edge portion of the support member that faces a transport path for the print medium, The cutting mechanism of a printing device described in Appendix 1 or 2, wherein the cutting blade abuts against the receiving portion from the side opposite to the edge portion of the support member. [Appendix 4] The cutting mechanism of the printing device described in Appendix 3 is characterized in that when a portion of the printing medium is cut by the cutter, the edge of the support member abuts against the receiving portion at two points across the passing area of ​​the printing medium in the width direction of the printing medium. [Appendix 5] a movable member that is positioned on the opposite side of the support member from the blade receiving member in the conveyance direction of the print medium and is supported rotatably relative to the support member; 5. The cutting mechanism of a printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cutting blade is supported by the movable member. [Appendix 6] The full cutter has a fixed blade and a movable blade, The cutting mechanism of the printing device described in Appendix 2 is characterized in that the fixed blade of the full cutter, a tape guide that guides the transport of the tape, the blade receiving member of the half cutter, and the support wall are arranged in this order in the transport direction of the printing medium. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 10:Printing device 11: Cartridge mounting section 12: Thermal head 13: Platen roller 14: Base chassis (main body of the printing device) 15: Support wall (support member) 15a:Edge 17: Tape guide 17a: Guide section 17b: Support part 17c: Inclined part 20: Tape (printing medium) 21: Release paper layer 22: Glue layer 23: Printing layer 25: Tape cartridge 30: Cutting mechanism 31: Full cutter 32: Fixed blade 33: Movable blade 35: Half cutter 36: Blade receiving member 36a: Supported part 36b: Receiving part 37: Cutting blade 37a:Blade part 37b: Stopper 40: Movable parts 41: Tension spring 43: Motor 44: Reduction gear train 45: Cam member 46: Cam position detection switch

Claims

1. a base chassis on which components constituting the printing device are attached and which constitutes the main body of the printing device; a cutter having a cutting blade and a blade receiving member, the cutter cutting at least a portion of the print medium with the cutting blade while the blade receiving member receives force from the cutting blade; Equipped with the base chassis includes a bottom plate and a support member that protrudes from the bottom plate and is provided to suppress deformation of the blade receiving member; The cutting mechanism of a printing device, wherein the blade receiving member is fixed adjacent to the support member.

2. The cutting blade and the blade receiving member constitute a half cutter that cuts a portion of the thickness of the print medium, and when cutting a portion of the thickness of the print medium, a stopper provided on the cutting blade is brought into contact with the blade receiving member, Further, a full cutter is provided to cut the entire thickness of the printing medium, 2. The cutting mechanism of the printing device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is a support wall provided in a direction intersecting with the transport direction of the print medium.

3. the blade receiving member has a supported portion that is along a side surface of the support member, and a receiving portion that is bent relative to the supported portion and positioned along an edge portion of the support member that faces a transport path for the print medium, 3. The cutting mechanism of a printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting blade abuts against the receiving portion from the side opposite to the edge portion of the support member.

4. 4. The cutting mechanism of a printing device according to claim 1, further comprising a gear train for driving the cutter, the gear train being attached to the outer side of the support member in the transport direction of the print medium.

5. A cutting mechanism for a printing device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base chassis is formed of metal.

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