Mobile device

Abstract

To facilitate handling of sheets in a portable information terminal to which a sheet folder can be separately attached.SOLUTION: This portable information terminal comprises: a housing; a printing unit having a print head stored in the housing; a conveyance unit that conveys a printing sheet to the printing unit; a lid body openably / closably fitted to the housing via a hinge; a platen provided in the lid body to press the printing sheet to the print head; and a sheet folder for the printing sheet, which is fitted to the outside of the housing. The lid body has a sheet inlet for inserting the printing sheet stored in the sheet folder into the housing. By closing the lid body in a state where the printing sheet is inserted through the sheet inlet, the printing sheet is pressed to the print head by the platen.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable information terminal including a printing device using a thermal print head.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there are some printer-integrated portable terminal devices that can use a plurality of types of papers such as roll paper and fan-fold paper (foldable paper). Also, in such portable terminal devices, it is required that the replacement of the printing paper be easy.

[0003] When used with a portable terminal device alone by separately attaching a paper folder such as roll paper, a configuration as in Patent Document 1 that can be made small is also known. In Patent Document 1, a configuration is disclosed in which roll paper can be inserted from the side surface of the roll paper folder.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the configuration as disclosed in Patent Document 1, since a paper insertion port is provided on the side surface of the housing, there is a problem that it is difficult to insert the paper.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to facilitate handling of paper in a portable information terminal to which a paper folder can be separately attached.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The portable information terminal according to the present invention comprises a housing, a printing means having a print head housed within the housing, a transport means for transporting printing paper to the printing means, a lid attached to the housing so as to be openable and closable via a hinge, a platen provided on the lid for pressing the printing paper against the print head, and a paper holder for the printing paper attached to the outside of the housing, wherein the lid has a paper insertion opening for inserting the printing paper stored in the paper holder into the housing, and by closing the lid with the printing paper inserted into the paper insertion opening, the printing paper is pressed against the print head by the platen. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to make paper easier to handle in a portable information terminal equipped with a printing device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a handheld terminal in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Disassembled perspective view of a handheld terminal. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view of CC in Figure 1. [Figure 6] A perspective view showing the appearance of the handheld terminal with the printer cover and upper roll paper holder open. [Figure 7] A perspective view showing the paper insertion slot on the printer cover. [Figure 8] A cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the printer section of a handheld terminal. [Figure 9] A cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the printer unit with the printer cover and upper roll paper holder open. [Figure 10] An external perspective view showing the handheld terminal with the fanfold holder attached. [Figure 11] Disassembled perspective view of the printer cover unit. [Figure 12] Perspective and plan views of the printer cover unit. [Figure 13] A cross-sectional view showing the printer cover unit in the open position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate elements common to all drawings. However, the embodiments described below are illustrative of portable information terminals for embodying the technical concept of the present invention, and the present invention does not limit portable information terminals to the following. Furthermore, this specification does not limit the components shown in the claims to the components of the embodiments. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention will be described using a handheld terminal 100 equipped with an integrated printer unit 500 as an example, as a printer-integrated portable information terminal.

[0011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the handheld terminal 100 in one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view AA of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the housing 102 that constitutes the external shape of the handheld terminal 100 is divided into two parts: an upper case 103, which is the upper housing, and a lower case 104, which is the lower housing. On the front side of the handheld terminal 100, a display unit 106 is provided at the top, and a numeric keypad 105, which is the key input unit, is provided at the bottom. The display unit 106 can display various kinds of information, and the user operates the numeric keypad 105 located on the front while referring to the information displayed on the display unit 106.

[0013] Furthermore, the left side of the casing 102 is equipped with a power key (not shown), and the right side is equipped with Volume Up / Down keys 110, as shown in Figure 1. The power key and Volume Up / Down keys 110 are positioned above (+Y direction) the numeric keypad 105 of the casing 102.

[0014] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the handy terminal 100 (cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1).

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the display unit 106 is configured by bonding a touch panel 107 and a liquid crystal unit 108. A control board 114 for controlling the handy terminal 100 is disposed on the back surface of the display unit 106.

[0016] The numeric keypad 105 includes a key lever 131 provided with various keys and a key board 132. Below the numeric keypad 105 (in the -Z direction), a battery 150 for supplying power to drive the handy terminal 100 is disposed. Further, a battery storage portion 116 for housing the battery 150 is provided, and this battery storage portion 116 is formed by a recessed opening in the housing provided on the side surface of the housing 102, and is closed by a battery cover 117 shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the handy terminal 100. An internal frame 101 is disposed inside the handy terminal 100. The handy terminal 100 can be assembled by attaching an internal frame unit 122, in which main components are attached to the internal frame 101 and unitized, to the upper case 103. That is, after attaching the internal frame unit 122 to the upper case 103, there is no need for operations such as substrate attachment and harness wiring, and only the operation of attaching the lower case 104 is required, so the assemblability is improved. Also, the maintainability during repair of the display unit 106 and the like is improved.

[0018] Next, the fixing structure of the upper case 103 and the lower case 104 around the display unit 106 in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the handy terminal 100 (cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 1). Note that the cross-sectional view taken along line B-B shows a cross-section of the claw engagement portion 301 between the internal frame 101 and the upper case 103 in FIG. 4.

[0019] In the handheld terminal 100 shown in Figure 1, the width of the handheld terminal 100 has been reduced to make it easier to grip, resulting in a narrower upper case bezel portion 134 that covers the outer circumference of the display portion 106.

[0020] As shown in Figure 4, the internal frame 101 and the upper case 103 are fixed together by a claw engagement portion 301, and the lower case 104 and the internal frame 101 are fixed together by a screw fastening 302 (see Figure 3) near the claw engagement portion 301. In this way, the upper case 103 and the lower case 104 are fixed together without direct screw fastening. Furthermore, by providing the claw engagement portion 301 of the upper case 103 near the longitudinal center of the upper case bezel portion 134, engagement can be easily achieved by flexing the upper case bezel portion 134 during assembly.

[0021] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, a rib 303 of the lower case 104 is provided near the claw engagement portion 301. This prevents the claw portion 304 of the internal frame 101 from deforming and detaching from the claw engagement portion 301 due to impact from a fall. The structure in which the claw engagement portion 301 is held in place by the rib 303 of the lower case improves drop resistance without directly screwing the upper case 103 and the lower case 104 together, thus saving space compared to screw fastening.

[0022] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the handheld terminal 100 (CC cross-sectional view in Figure 1). It shows the cross-section of the internal frame 101, the upper case bezel portion 134 that covers the outer circumference of the display unit 106, and the claw engagement portion 301 of the upper case 103, as well as the cross-section of the lower case where the rib 303 is not formed.

[0023] As shown in Figure 5, a rib-shaped portion (projection) 402 is provided on the claw engagement portion 301 of the upper case 103. The presence of the rib-shaped portion 402 causes it to contact the inner surface of the lower case 104, suppressing the amount of movement of the claw engagement portion 301 in the direction of disengaging from the inner frame 101, and maintaining the claw engagement between the upper case 103 and the inner frame 101. This prevents the claw engagement portion 301 from disengaging from the inner frame 101 when subjected to a drop impact. Furthermore, since impact resistance can be improved without increasing the engagement amount of the claw engagement portion 301, the ease of assembly when the claw engagement between the upper case 103 and the inner frame 101 is not impaired.

[0024] Furthermore, the tip of the rib-shaped portion 402 is provided with a guide-shaped portion 403, which is composed of a chamfered edge. Because of the guide-shaped portion 403, if the device is subjected to a strong impact from a fall, causing the claw engagement portion 301 to detach from the internal frame 101 and the upper case 103 and lower case 104 to open, the lower case 104 will rest on the guide-shaped portion 403 of the upper case 103. In this case, the user can return the upper case 103 and lower case 104 to their original detached state by applying pressure with their fingers. This configuration of the rib-shaped portion 402 can be applied to portable information terminals equipped with an upper case, internal frame, and lower case, regardless of whether or not they have a printer.

[0025] Next, we will explain the printer unit 501 of the handheld terminal 100.

[0026] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the handheld terminal 100 with the printer cover 502 and upper roll paper holder 504 open. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the paper insertion slot 508 of the printer cover 502 of the handheld terminal 100.

[0027] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the printer unit 501 of the handheld terminal 100. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the printer unit 501 with the printer cover 502 and the upper roll paper holder 504 open. Figure 10 is an external perspective view showing the handheld terminal 100 with the fanfold holder (paper folder) 506 attached.

[0028] The handheld terminal 100 includes a printer cover unit 516 and a cutter holder 517 which serves as a lid. The cutter holder 517 is equipped with a cutter blade 507 for cutting printed paper. The handheld terminal 100 also includes a roll paper holder unit (paper folder) 503 for storing roll paper. The roll paper holder unit 503 can be detachably attached to the housing 102. The roll paper holder unit 503 consists of an upper roll paper holder 504 and a lower roll paper holder 505. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 10, instead of the roll paper holder unit 503, a fanfold holder 506 for storing fanfold paper is detachably attached to the back of the handheld terminal 100. This allows the user to use different types of paper depending on the application.

[0029] The roll paper stored in the roll paper holder unit 503 or the fanfold paper stored in the fanfold holder 506 can be inserted into the handheld terminal 100 from the outside of the handheld terminal 100 through the paper insertion opening 508 (see Figure 7) of the printer cover 502. The printer cover unit 516 is constructed by attaching a platen 510 to the printer cover 502. The printer cover 502 has an integrally formed hinge portion 514 (see Figure 11) and can be opened and closed relative to the housing 102. As shown in Figure 8, by closing the printer cover 502, the printing paper 513 is pressed against the print head 509 of the printing unit 511 by the platen 510 and printed. The printing paper 513 is also transported by the platen 510 and the transport unit 512 while printing is being done, and discharged from the paper output opening 518.

[0030] As shown in Figure 9, when the printer cover 502 is open, the printer cover 502 stands upright relative to the housing 102, and the paper insertion slot 508 is oriented sideways, making the paper insertion slot 508 easier for the operator to see and easier to insert the print paper 513. At this time, it is sufficient for the printer cover 502 to be open on the top side of the housing 102, and it is easier to insert paper if the structure is such that the movement of the printer cover 502 is suppressed when the printer cover 502 is open on the top side of the housing 102. Even if the opening angle of the printer cover 502 is not 90°, it is easy to insert paper if the angle range is such that at least a part of the paper insertion slot 508 overlaps with the position of the paper insertion slot 508 when the opening angle is 90°. In addition, the position of the paper insertion slot 508 in the height direction (vertical direction in the drawing, perpendicular to the housing) in Figure 9 is set higher than the print head 509. This allows the print head 509 to be inserted without getting in the way when the print paper 513 is passed through.

[0031] Furthermore, when passing the roll paper 513, which is the printing paper, stored in the roll paper holder unit 503 or the fanfold paper stored in the fanfold holder 506, through the paper insertion slot 508, it is not necessary for the operator to bring their hand close to the cutter blade 507, thus preventing operator injury. In addition, by pulling the printing paper 513 that has passed through the paper insertion slot 508 and extending it until it passes over the cutter holder 517, and then closing the printer cover 502, the printing paper 513 can be safely set by being pressed against the print head 509 by the platen 510.

[0032] Next, the configuration of the printer cover unit 516 in this embodiment will be described.

[0033] Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the printer cover unit 516, and Figure 12 is a perspective view and a plan view of the printer cover unit 516. Figure 12(a) is a perspective view from the front, Figure 12(b) is a perspective view from the back, and Figure 12(c) is a plan view from the back.

[0034] The printer cover unit 516 is constructed by fixing the printer cover 502 and the platen holding member 519, which holds the platen 510, together with screws. The printer cover 502 is provided with a paper insertion opening 508 near the hinge portion 514, and a reinforcing member 515 made of sheet metal is bonded to the paper insertion opening 508, positioned along the paper insertion opening 508. When the handheld terminal 100 is subjected to a drop impact, the paper insertion opening 508 is close to the top surface, so there is a possibility that it may crack from the corner. In contrast, by providing the reinforcing member 515, large deformation of the paper insertion opening 508 can be suppressed and cracking can be prevented.

[0035] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the printer cover unit 516 in an open state. Figure 13(a) shows the printer cover unit 516 fully open, and Figure 13(b) shows the hinge portion 514 of the printer cover 502 detached from the shaft portion 102a of the housing 102. The printer cover 502 is configured so that the hinge portion 514 detaches from the shaft portion 102a of the housing 102, preventing the user from damaging the cover by applying excessive force when opening it. The reinforcing member 515 is positioned between the hinge portion 514 and the paper insertion slot 508. By positioning the reinforcing member 515 in this location, it is possible to prevent the paper insertion slot 508 from bending and making it difficult for the hinge portion 514 to detach from the shaft portion 102a of the housing 102.

[0036] Furthermore, the strength of the printer cover 502 can be further improved by providing a bent portion of the reinforcing member 515 that is bent in the thickness direction of the printer cover 502, or by providing a bent portion around the entire circumference of the paper insertion opening 508. The reinforcing member 515 may be divided into a first member that reinforces the corners of the paper insertion opening 508 and a second member that is positioned between the hinge portion 514 and the paper insertion opening 508, but the number of parts can be reduced by making them a single unit.

[0037] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the structure described in this embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 100 Handheld Terminals 101 Internal Frame 102 cabinets 103 Upper case 104 Lower case 105 Numeric Keypad 106 Display section 107 Touch Panel 108 LCD section 110 Volume Up / Down keys 114 Control board 116 Battery compartment 117 Battery Cover 122 Internal Frame Unit 131 Key Rubber 132 Key Circuit Boards 134 Upper case bezel 150 batteries 301 Claw engagement part 302 Screw fastening section 303 Lower case rib 304 Internal frame claw section 402 Rib-shaped section 403 Inviting shape section 501 Printer Department 502 Printer Cover 503 Roll Paper Holder Unit 504 Upper roll paper holder 505 Lower Roll Paper Holder 506 Fanfold Holder 507 Cutter blade 508 Paper Insertion Slot 509 Printhead 510 Platen 511 Printing section 513 Printing paper 514 Hinge section 515 Reinforcement member 516 Printer Cover Unit 517 Cutter Holder 518 Paper output slot 519 Platen holding member

Claims

1. The casing and A printing means having a print head housed within the aforementioned housing, A transport means for transporting printing paper to the printing means, A lid is attached to the housing via a hinge so as to be openable and closable, A platen provided on the cover presses the printing paper against the print head, The enclosure comprises a paper holder for the printing paper which is attached to the outside of the enclosure, The lid has a paper insertion opening for inserting the printing paper stored in the paper folder into the housing, and the portable information terminal is characterized in that when the lid is closed with the printing paper inserted into the paper insertion opening, the printing paper is pressed against the print head by the platen.

2. The portable information terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover stands upright relative to the housing by the hinge portion.

3. The portable information terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that, when the lid is upright relative to the housing, the paper insertion slot is positioned higher than the print head in a direction perpendicular to the housing.

4. The portable information terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cover has a reinforcing member arranged along the paper insertion slot.

5. The portable information terminal according to claim 4, characterized in that the reinforcing member is disposed between the hinge portion and the paper insertion slot.

6. An internal frame for mounting the display unit, A lower case to which the aforementioned internal frame is attached, The system comprises an upper case having a bezel portion for the display unit, The portable information terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a projection is provided on the engagement portion of the upper case with the internal frame, which contacts the inner surface of the lower case.

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