printer

Abstract

To provide a printer with a configuration that reduces the number of sensors installed and can improve the accuracy of desired determination.SOLUTION: A main body part is a container with an opening part and has a storage unit that stores a strip of paper inside. A lid part is supported in a freely rotatable manner by an edge on one side of the opening part. The lid part opens or closes the opening part in accordance with the rotation. When the lid part is located at a closing position where the opening part is closed, a paper outlet is formed between the lid part and its surroundings. A first sensor provides an output that is used to determine whether one of the two ends of the edge of the lid part that forms the paper outlet is in the closed position. A movable part is provided in the lid part and / or the main body part and is moved when pressed by the paper that is jammed in a section from a printing unit to the paper outlet. A second sensor is provided on the side of the lid part and / or the main body part where the movable part is not provided in the direction in which the lid part is supported, provides an output used for determining whether the other end of the two ends is in the closed position and detects the movement of the movable part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to printers.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, printers require various maintenance such as paper jams and paper replenishment. For this reason, an opening for exposing the inside of the housing is provided in a part of the housing. The opening is opened and closed by a lid. Note that the opening is provided at a necessary location and is not necessarily single.

[0003] Printers having an opening are equipped with a plurality of sensors at various locations, such as a sensor used to determine whether the lid is properly closed and a sensor used to determine the occurrence of a paper jam (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). If it is possible to provide a sensor at each location to be detected, it becomes easier to accurately make a desired determination. However, as the number of sensors increases, the cost of parts increases, and the man-hours for assembly and the like increase, making it difficult to suppress the price.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a printer having a configuration capable of suppressing the number of installed sensors and enhancing the accuracy of a desired determination.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The printer of this embodiment comprises a main body, a lid, a printing unit for printing on paper, a first sensor, a movable part, and a second sensor. The main body is a container having an opening and has a storage section for storing strip-shaped paper inside. The lid is rotatably supported on one side by the edge of the opening and opens and closes the opening as it rotates, and when it is in the closed position that closes the opening, a paper output slot is formed between itself and its surroundings. The first sensor provides an output used to determine whether one end of the side of the lid that forms the paper output slot is in the closed position. The movable part is provided on the lid and / or the main body and moves when pressed by paper jammed in the section from the printing unit to the paper output slot. The second sensor is provided on the lid and / or the main body ,before It is provided on the side where the movable part is not provided, and provides an output used to determine whether the other end of the two ends is in the closed position, and also detects the movement of the movable part. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of the printer 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal structure of printer 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the state in which the lid portion 22 opens the storage portion 3. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a magnified view of the printing section 5 and the cutting section 6. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the movable part 7 and the multi-purpose sensor 8. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the movable part 7 and the multi-purpose sensor 8. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the second lid 23 in motion. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows the electronic components included in printer 1. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of one function of the control unit 110. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the movable part 7 and the dual-purpose sensor 8. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the movable part 7 and the multi-purpose sensor 8. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of the printer 300 with the lid 22 of the housing 2 open. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal structure of printer 300. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the movable part 7 of modified example 4. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the movable part 7 of modified example 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] (First Embodiment) Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of the printer 1 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal structure of the printer 1.

[0008] The drawing shows three axes: the X, Y, and Z axes, which are orthogonal to each other. The X axis runs along the left-right direction (width direction) of printer 1, with the positive direction being from left to right when facing the front of printer 1. The Y axis runs along the front-back direction (depth direction) of printer 1, with the positive direction being from the front to the back of printer 1. The Z axis runs along the up-down direction (height direction) of printer 1, with the positive direction being from the bottom to the top of printer 1.

[0009] Printer 1 is, for example, a thermal printer that prints information such as text and graphics onto paper. Printer 1 is connected to, for example, a POS (Point of Sales) terminal (not shown) and receives product information and sales information related to products sold to customers in the store from the POS terminal, prints it on paper, and issues it as a receipt (discharges the paper).

[0010] The printer 1 includes a housing 2, a storage section 3, a paper discharge port 4, a printing section 5, and a cutting section 6.

[0011] The housing 2 includes a main body section 21, a lid section 22, and a second lid section 23. The main body section 21 is a container having an opening on one side, and has a storage section 3 for storing a roll paper 9 therein. The lid section 22 and the second lid section 23 are rotatably supported at one side on the edge of the opening, and open and close the opening as they rotate. When they are in the closed position closing the opening, they are an example of a lid section in which a paper discharge port 4 is formed between itself and its surroundings.

[0012] The lid section 22 is rotatably supported at one side on the edge of the opening of the main body section 21. As the lid section 22 rotates, the first opening of the main body section 21 is opened and closed, and thereby the storage section 3 is opened and closed. Here, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state where the lid section 22 has opened the storage section 3. The roll paper 9 is inserted into and removed from the main body section 21 in a state where the lid section 22 is open.

[0013] The roll paper 9 is formed by winding a strip-shaped paper (for example, thermal paper) 91, and the paper 91 is drawn out from the outer peripheral portion at the end of winding. The outer diameter of the roll paper 9 gradually decreases as the paper 91 is drawn out. The roll paper 9 is stored in the storage section 3 with the width direction of the paper 91 along the X-axis direction.

[0014] The printer 1 prints information on the paper 91 drawn out from the roll paper 9 stored in the storage section 3, and discharges the paper 91 that has passed through the printing section 5 from the paper discharge port 4.

[0015] The paper discharge port 4 is formed between the end portion on the opposite side of the rotation end of the lid section 22 and the second lid section 23. The paper discharge port 4 opens upward, and the printer 1 discharges the paper 91 that has passed through the printing section 5 upward.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an enlarged view of the printing section 5 and the cutting section 6. The printing section 5 includes a printing head 51 and a platen 52.

[0017] The printing head 51 is provided at a substantially intermediate position between the storage section 3 and the paper discharge port 4 within the main body section 21, and in the middle of the conveyance path of the paper 91 drawn out from the roll paper 9. The printing head 51 is a line thermal head in which a number of heating elements are arranged on a line. The printing head 51 heats the paper 91 by driving the heating elements corresponding to the printing pattern among those aligned on one line to generate heat, thereby printing information. The paper 91 after printing is discharged outside the housing 2 from the paper discharge port 4.

[0018] The platen 52 is a cylindrical roller at least the surface of which is formed of an elastic material, and is rotatably attached to the lid section 22. When the lid section 22 closes the opening of the main body section 21, the platen 52 is positioned at a position facing the printing head 51 and presses the printing head 51. In this state, the paper 91 drawn out from the roll paper 9 is sandwiched between the printing head 51 and the platen 52. The platen 52 rotates by the driving force of the conveyance motor 53 (see FIG. 8, described later) being transmitted thereto, draws out the paper 91 from the roll paper 9, and conveys it toward the paper discharge port 4.

[0019] The cutting section 6 is disposed between the printing section 5 and the paper discharge port 4, and cuts the paper 91 along the width direction of the paper 91. Note that the paper width direction, the paper thickness direction, and the paper conveyance direction are orthogonal to each other.

[0020]

[0021]

[0022] The cutting section 6 is driven by selectively adopting either of the following two methods as the cutting method. The first method is a method called full cut that cuts the entire width direction of the paper 91. The second method is a method called partial cut that leaves the central portion in the width direction of the paper 91. The cutting section 6 includes, for example, a fixed blade 61 and a movable blade 62. The fixed blade 61 has a linear cutting edge along the X-axis direction. The movable blade 62 faces the cutting edge of the fixed blade 61 and has a cutting edge with a V-shaped depression in the central portion.The movable blade 62 is driven by the cutting motor 63 (see Figure 8, described later), causing its cutting edge to move toward and away from the cutting edge of the fixed blade 61. The direction of movement of the movable blade 62 is approximately the same as, for example, the paper thickness direction. In the state shown in Figure 4, the movable blade 62 is positioned away from the fixed blade 61.

[0023] In this structure, full cuts and partial cuts can be used interchangeably depending on the distance the movable blade 62 travels relative to the fixed blade 61. In other words, by stopping the movement of the movable blade 62 to the point where the V-shaped groove of the movable blade 62 does not reach the cutting edge of the fixed blade 61 but remains slightly away, a partial cut can be achieved by leaving the center of the paper 91 in the width direction uncut.

[0024] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the movable part 7 and the dual-purpose sensor 8. The printer 1 further includes the movable part 7 and the dual-purpose sensor 8 (an example of a second sensor). Figure 6 shows a paper jam occurring near the cutting section 6. Reference numeral 95 indicates the jammed paper 95.

[0025] The dual-purpose sensor 8 is located inside the main body 21. The output of the dual-purpose sensor 8 is used for both detecting a paper jam and determining the position of the second lid 23. The dual-purpose sensor 8 is a general transmissive light sensor and is equipped with a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit facing each other across a slit 81. The light-emitting unit is equipped with a light source such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and emits light. The light-receiving unit receives the light emitted by the light-emitting unit. The fins 71 of the movable unit 7 can move in and out of the slit 81.

[0026] The movable part 7 is located inside the second lid 23. The movable part 7 oscillates when pressed by paper 95 jammed in the section from the printing unit 5 to the paper output opening 4.

[0027] In implementation, however, the arrangement may be reversed from the above-described configuration, with the movable part 7 located on the main body 21 and the dual-purpose sensor 8 located on the second cover 23.

[0028] The movable part 7 is long in the paper width direction (X-axis direction) and has a fin 71 near either the left or right end that is detected by the dual-purpose sensor 8. The second lid part 23 has a fin (not shown) near the end furthest from the fin 71 that is detected by the opening / closing sensor 105 (see Figure 8), which will be described later.

[0029] Furthermore, the movable part 7 has a pivot shaft 70 and a paper guide section 75. The paper guide section 75 is long in the paper width direction (X-axis direction), preferably having a length greater than or equal to the maximum width of the paper 91. The pivot shaft 70 is located below the paper guide section 75 and is provided at the left and right ends of the movable part 7, and is rotatably supported by the second lid section 23. As the movable part 7 rotates, the fins 71 move and move in and out of the slit 81 of the dual-purpose sensor 8.

[0030] If a paper jam occurs in the cutting section 6 (see Figure 6), the jammed paper 95 presses against the paper guide section 75, causing the movable section 7 to rotate. This changes the detection state of the dual-purpose sensor 8, and consequently, the output changes. In this example, the pivot axis 70 is located below the paper guide section 75, so the direction of rotation is clockwise in the figure (indicated by arrow P). To remove the jammed paper 95, the second cover section 23 is moved to open the space above the fixed blade 61.

[0031] The second lid 23 functions as a cover that covers the fixed blade 61 and the movable blade 62 that slides over the fixed blade 61, and is positioned to cover the fixed blade 61 from above (closed position). The second lid 23 is configured to be openable and closable as needed, such as when a paper jam occurs.

[0032] Figure 7 shows the second lid 23 in motion. When it becomes necessary to open (move) the second lid 23, the user of the printer 1 moves the second lid 23 as indicated by arrows A and B. That is, the user of the printer 1 pulls the second lid 23 upward (positive Z-axis direction), and then rotates it around the pivot axis along the X-axis direction, tilting it towards the front of the printer 1. This opens the space above the fixed blade 61.

[0033] After the user removes the jammed paper 95, they return the second lid 23 to the closed position. In this embodiment, when the second lid 23 is in the closed position (covering the fixed blade 61) and there is no paper jam, the fins 71 enter the slit 81 and block the light moving from the light-emitting section to the light-receiving section. As a result, the dual-purpose sensor 8 enters a "non-detection (off, light-blocked) state" where it does not detect light. The non-detection state of the dual-purpose sensor 8 indicates that the vicinity of the cutting section 6 is in a normal state.

[0034] The opposite of a normal state is an abnormal state. When the fin 71 is not inside the slit 81, the light-receiving unit is in a "detection (on, light-transmitting) state" where it detects light. The detection state of the dual-purpose sensor 8 indicates that the vicinity of the cutting section 6 is in an abnormal state. The abnormality here is either a paper jam or misalignment or opening of the second lid 23.

[0035] Figure 8 shows the electronic components of printer 1. Printer 1 further includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, communication unit 104, open / close sensor 105, and storage unit 120. The CPU 101 is communicated with each component (ROM 102, RAM 103, communication unit 104, open / close sensor 105, multi-purpose sensor 8, print head 51, transport motor 53, cutting motor 63, etc.).

[0036] The CPU 101 is an example of a processor and comprehensively controls all parts of the printer 1. The ROM 102 stores various programs. The RAM 103 is a workspace for displaying programs and various data. The CPU 101, ROM 102, and RAM 103 are connected via a bus or the like and constitute the control unit 110 of the computer configuration.

[0037] The communication unit 104 is a communication interface that connects the control unit 110 and an external device so that they can communicate via a network.

[0038] The open / close sensor 105 (an example of a first sensor) provides an output used to determine whether one end of the second lid 23 is in the closed position. The open / close sensor 105 is located inside the main body 21. The open / close sensor 105 detects the fins provided on the second lid 23 when the second lid 23 is in the closed position. The open / close sensor 105 is used to determine whether the second lid 23 is properly closed (located in the correct closed position).

[0039] The open / close sensor 105 is a general-purpose transmissive light sensor, similar to the dual-purpose sensor 8, and comprises a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit facing each other across a slit. The light-emitting unit is equipped with a light source such as an LED and emits light. The light-receiving unit receives the light emitted by the light-emitting unit. The fins provided on the second lid 23 can move in and out of the slit. The fins on the second lid 23 are located near the end furthest from the fins 71.

[0040] The memory unit 120 has a storage medium such as flash memory and retains its contents even when the power is cut off. The memory unit 120 stores programs that the CPU 101 can execute and various setting information.

[0041] The control unit 110 performs various processes by operating according to the programs stored in the ROM 102 and memory unit 120 and loaded into the RAM 103, which the CPU 101 operates according to. In addition, the control unit 110 provides various functional units.

[0042] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of one function of the control unit 110. This processing is performed immediately after the printer 1 is powered on, immediately before printing starts, or during printing.

[0043] The control unit 110 first acquires the output of the dual-purpose sensor 8 as an example of the acquisition unit (step S1), and then, as an example of the judgment unit, determines whether the output indicates transmission (on, light detection, abnormal) (step S2). If the output in step S2 indicates light shielding (No. in step S2), it is in a normal state, and the control unit 110 terminates this process.

[0044] If the output in step S2 indicates transparency (Yes in step S2), the control unit 110 determines, as an example of a judgment unit, whether printing is in progress (step S3). If printing is in progress (Yes in step S3), the control unit 110 determines that there is a paper jam and, as an example of a notification unit, notifies that there is a paper jam (step S4).

[0045] Furthermore, if printing was not in progress in step S3 (No. of step S3), the control unit 110 determines that the second cover 23 is open or misaligned and notifies the cover open as an example of a notification unit (step S5). Here, notifications of paper jams or cover open are made, for example, by display using an LED or other display unit provided by the printer 1, or by sound using a buzzer or other device provided by the printer 1.

[0046] In this embodiment, the multi-purpose sensor 8, which was originally a sensor for detecting paper jams, is positioned at the end opposite to the end where the opening / closing sensor 105 is located, and is configured to be used for detection on the side that cannot be detected by the opening / closing sensor 105. Therefore, with the configuration of this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether the second lid portion 23 is correctly positioned at both ends.

[0047] For example, conventionally, when determining whether the second lid 23 of the printer 1 is in the correct closed position, if the determination is made solely by the output of a sensor (open / close sensor 105) installed on one of the ends in the width direction, it is inconvenient because even if the other end in the width direction is floating (not in the correct closed position), the system will still determine that the second lid 23 is in the correct closed position. Therefore, in this embodiment, the end on the side where the opening / closing sensor 105 is not provided is configured to be detected by the multi-purpose sensor 8. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the printer 1 can be configured to reduce the number of sensors installed and improve the accuracy of desired decisions (for example, position detection of the second lid 23).

[0048] The embodiments described above can also be modified and implemented as appropriate by changing some of the configurations or functions of each of the devices described above. Therefore, several modifications of the embodiments described above will be described below as other embodiments. In the following, we will mainly describe the differences from the embodiments described above, and the same reference numerals will be used for parts that are common with the content already described, and detailed explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, the modifications described below may be implemented individually or in combination as appropriate.

[0049] (Variation 1) Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the movable part 7 and the dual-purpose sensor 8. Figure 11 shows a paper jam occurring near the cutting section 6.

[0050] In this modified example, the pivot axis 70 is located above the paper guide section 75. Also, in this modified example, the multi-purpose sensor 8 has a slit 81 that opens upwards.

[0051] If a paper jam occurs in the cutting section 6 (see Figure 11), the jammed paper 95 presses against the paper guide section 75, causing the movable section 7 to rotate.

[0052] In this example, the pivot axis 70 is located above the paper guide section 75, so the direction of rotation is counterclockwise in the figure (indicated by arrow Q). In this modified example, the fin 71 moves upward as the movable part 7 rotates due to being pressed by the jammed paper 95.

[0053] The same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained with the configuration of this modified example described above.

[0054] (Modification 2) Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of the printer 300 with the lid 22 of the housing 2 open. Figure 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal structure of the printer 300.

[0055] The printer 300 is an example of a small printer that does not have a second lid 23. The paper output slot 4 of the printer 300 is formed between the end of the lid 22 opposite to the rotating end and the main body 21.

[0056] In such a printer 300, an open / close sensor 105 and a combined sensor 8 may be used to determine whether the lid 22 is properly closed.

[0057] The open / close sensor 105 and the combined sensor 8 are located near both ends of the paper output slot 4 of the main body 21, respectively. The fins detected by each sensor are located on the lid 22.

[0058] With this configuration, the dual-purpose sensor 8 can be used for detecting the opening and closing of the lid 22 at both ends in the width direction and for detecting paper jams in a printer 300 that does not have a second lid 23.

[0059] (Variation 3) In the above embodiments and modifications, the light sensor (combined sensor 8 or open / close sensor 105) is configured to determine an abnormality when it detects light (light-transmitting state). However, the implementation is not limited to this configuration, and the light sensor may be configured to determine an abnormality when it stops detecting light (light-shielding state).

[0060] (Modification 4) In the above embodiments and modifications, the movable part 7 is described as swinging (rotating). However, in practice, the movable part 7 may be a sliding (sliding) type, as described using Figures 14 and 15 in this modification.

[0061] Figures 14 and 15 illustrate the movable part 7 of the modified example 4. Figure 15 shows the state during a paper jam.

[0062] Here, the part indicated by reference numeral 65 is a portion 65 of the cutting section 6. The paper guide section 75 is positioned opposite the portion 65. The space between the portion 65 and the paper guide section 75 is part of the path through which the paper is transported.

[0063] In this modified example, the movable part 7, which integrates the paper guide part 75 and the fin 71, has two protrusions 701 and 702. The main body part 21 also has rails (or grooves) 703 and 704.

[0064] The longitudinal direction of rails 703 and 704 is aligned with the direction in which the fins 71 move in and out of the slit 81. Rails 703 and 704 hold the protrusions 701 and 702 so that they can move (slide) along their longitudinal direction. The protrusions 701 and 702 are guided by rails 703 and 704.

[0065] In this configuration, when a paper jam occurs, the jammed paper 95 pushes the paper guide section 75, causing the fins 71 to move along the longitudinal direction of the rails 703 and 704 within the slit 81, and the detection state of the dual-purpose sensor 8 changes from on to off. This allows the paper jam to be detected.

[0066] The programs executed by each device in the above-described embodiments are provided pre-installed in ROM or the like. The programs executed by each device in the above-described embodiments may also be provided as files in an installable or executable format, recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, flexible disk (FD), CD-R, or DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

[0067] Furthermore, the programs executed by each of the above-described embodiments may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Alternatively, the programs executed by each of the above-described embodiments may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0068] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1…Printer, 2...Housing, 21...Main body, 22...Lid, 23...Second lid, 3...Storage compartment, 4... Paper output slot, 5...Printing unit, 51...Print head, 52...Platen, 53...Transport motor, 6...Cutting section, 61...Fixed blade, 62...Movable blade, 63...Cutting motor, 7...Movable part, 70...Rotating axis, 71...Fin, 75...Paper guide part, 8...Multipurpose sensor (an example of a second sensor), 81...Slit, 9...Roll paper, 91...Paper, 95...Jumped paper 101...CPU, 102...ROM, 103...RAM, 104...Communication unit, 105...Open / close sensor (an example of the first sensor), 110... Control unit, 120...Storage section, 300... Printer. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0070] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-116777 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-182164 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6902884

Claims

1. A container having an opening, a main body having a storage section for storing strip-shaped paper inside, A lid portion is rotatably supported on one side by the edge of the opening, and opens and closes the opening as it rotates, and when it is in the closed position that closes the opening, a paper discharge opening is formed between itself and its surroundings. A printing unit for printing on the aforementioned paper, A first sensor provides an output used to determine whether one of the ends of the edges forming the paper output slot of the lid is in the closed position, A movable part provided on the lid and / or the main body, which moves when pressed by paper jammed in the section from the printing section to the paper output slot, A second sensor is provided on the side of the lid and / or the main body where the movable part is not provided, and provides an output used to determine whether the other end of the two ends is in the closed position, and detects the movement of the movable part. A printer equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

2. The device includes a determination unit that, when the output of the second sensor indicates an abnormal state, determines that a paper jam has occurred if printing is in progress by the printing unit, and determines that the lid is misaligned if printing is not in progress by the printing unit. The printer according to claim 1.

3. It is positioned between the printing unit and the paper output slot and includes a cutting unit for cutting the paper, The lid is a cover that covers the cut portion. The printer according to claim 1.

4. The lid opens and closes the storage compartment. The printer according to claim 1.

5. The system further comprises a notification unit that notifies the result of the determination made by the aforementioned determination unit. The printer according to claim 2.

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