Printing apparatus
The printing apparatus addresses design disparities by integrating a manual cutter with a unified external shape and smaller push buttons, ensuring design unity and enhanced usability across models.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CASIO COMPUTER CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-07-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-26
AI Technical Summary
Printing apparatuses with manual and electric cutters have different designs, leading to a lack of design unity and consumer confusion between models.
A printing apparatus with an auto-cutting function and a manual cutting function is designed to have a unified external shape by incorporating a protrusion mimicking the operation button of a different model, housing additional components in an internal space corresponding to the button, and using a smaller push button stroke for ease of use.
Achieves design uniformity and consumer appeal by providing a unified external appearance and improved usability across models, while maintaining compactness and high reception sensitivity of wireless communication.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus.
Background Art
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a label printer that prints on a strip-shaped printable medium using a thermal head and cuts the printable medium after printing using a cutter. This cutter can operate either manually or electrically.
[0003] On the other hand, printing apparatuses having a manual cutter instead of an electric cutter and printing apparatuses having an electric cutter instead of a manual cutter are commercially available. When these printing apparatuses are sold by the same manufacturer, since the latter printing apparatus is more highly functional than the former printing apparatus, the latter printing apparatus is set as the upper model and the former printing apparatus is set as the lower model. In the case of the former printing apparatus, in order to move the manual cutter, an operator such as a lever, a handle, and a button that is operated by a user is provided, and thus the operator has a great influence on the design of the former printing apparatus. In the case of the latter printing apparatus, since such an operator is not required, the design of the latter printing apparatus is significantly different from the design of the former printing apparatus.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0004]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide design unity to printing apparatuses of different models.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a printing apparatus having an auto-cutting function for cutting a printing medium with an electric cutter, having an external shape similar to the other printing apparatus, which is a different model from the aforementioned printing apparatus and has a manual cutting function for cutting the printing medium with a manual cutter that operates in conjunction with the pressing of an operation button instead of the auto-cutting function, Communication antenna A printing apparatus is provided, characterized in that it is housed in an internal space corresponding to the position of the aforementioned operation button. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve design uniformity across different models of printing devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the external appearance of the higher-end model printing device. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the internal structure of the higher-end model printer when the tape is not cut. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the internal structure of a higher-end model printing device during tape cutting. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the external appearance of a lower-end model printing device. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the internal structure of a lower-end model printer when the tape is not cut. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the internal structure of a lower-end model printing device during tape cutting. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below. The drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only, and therefore the scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples shown in the drawings.
[0010] [1. Printing device set] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of printing device 1. Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views showing the interior of printing device 1. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a second printing device 101, which is a sister model to printing device 1. Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing the interior of printing device 101. Printing devices 1 and 101 are portable label printers. Printing devices 1 and 101 are sister models, and they share some common external shapes and are similar. Printing device 101 is a lower-end model, while printing device 1 is a higher-end model with more functions or higher functionality than printing device 101. Specifically, printing device 1 has an auto-cut function, while printing device 101 has a manual cut function instead of an auto-cut function. The set consisting of printing device 1 and printing device 101 is called a printing device set.
[0011] [2. Higher-end printing devices] The higher-end model printing device 1 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3. The printing apparatus 1 comprises a housing 10, a protrusion 20, a circuit board 30, push switches 32-34, an IC chip 35, flexible wiring 36, a relay board 37, flexible wiring 38, a main board 39, a transport motor 40, a cassette 50, a thermal head 60, a platen roller 65, and an electric cutter 70.
[0012] • Cabinet The enclosure 10 is shaped like a rounded rectangular box. The width of the enclosure 10 is smaller than the depth and height of the enclosure 10, and the height of the enclosure 10 is smaller than the depth of the enclosure 10. The depth direction, width direction and height direction of the enclosure 10 are orthogonal to each other, the depth direction is also the front-to-back direction, the width direction is also the left-to-right direction, and the height direction is also the up-and-down direction. The up-and-down direction is not necessarily vertical.
[0013] The housing 10 is made of resin. The housing 10 has a hollow space 17 inside it, which serves as a first internal space. The housing 10 has an outlet 18 in the vertical center of its front surface 12. The printed strip of tape 55 is discharged from the housing 10 through this outlet 18.
[0014] The housing 10 houses the cassette 50 inside it. A part of the housing 10 is provided so as to be openable or detachable with respect to another part of the housing 10. When a part of the housing 10 is opened or removed with respect to another part of the housing 10, the cassette 50 is exposed. Therefore, the cassette 50 can be attached and detached and replaced.
[0015] · Protrusion The housing 10 has a resin protrusion 20 on its upper surface 11. The protrusion 20 is integrally formed with the housing 10 on the upper surface 11 of the housing 10 and protrudes upward from the upper surface 11 of the housing 10. The protrusion 20 is arranged closer to the front edge of the upper surface 11 of the housing 10. The position where the protrusion 20 is formed on the housing 10 corresponds to the position where the operation button 125 of the printing device 101 described later is provided on the housing 110. The protrusion 20 is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped or a frustum of a square pyramid. The protrusion 20 has a hollow 27 as a second internal space inside it. The hollow 27 of the protrusion 20 and the hollow 17 of the housing 10 are connected and integrated with each other. The protrusion 20 is a pseudo one that mimics the operation button 125 of the printing device 101 described later. The protrusion 20 cannot be pressed.
[0016] The protrusion 20 has three operable elements 22 to 24 at its top 21. The operable elements 22 to 24 are respectively arranged on the push switches 32 to 34 described later. The combination of the operable element 22 and the push switch 32 is the push button 92 for turning on and off the power of the printing device 1, the combination of the operable element 23 and the push switch 33 is the push button 93 for turning on and off the wireless communication function of the printing device 1, and the combination of the operable element 24 and the push switch 34 is the push button 94 for activating the auto cut function of the printing device 1.
[0017] The strokes of push buttons 92 to 94 are smaller than the stroke of operation button 125 described later. The strokes of push buttons 92 to 94 are smaller than the stroke of movable blade 72 described later. The stroke of push buttons 92 to 94 refers to the distance from the position of operators 22 to 24 when the operators 22 to 24 are at the uppermost position to the position of operators 22 to 24 when the operators 22 to 24 are at the lowermost position. The stroke of movable blade 72 refers to the movable range of the movable blade 72 when the movable blade 72 linearly reciprocates.
[0018] · Circuit board, push switch, and IC chip Circuit board 30, push switches 32 to 34, and IC chip 35 are housed in hollow 27 of convex portion 20. Circuit board 30 is attached inside convex portion 20 so as to face the top 21 below the top 21 of convex portion 20. Push switches 32 to 34 are mounted on circuit board 30. Push switches 32 to 34 are respectively arranged below operators 22 to 24. When operator 22 is pressed, push switch 32 is pressed by operator 22, when operator 23 is pressed, push switch 33 is pressed by operator 23, and when operator 24 is pressed, push switch 34 is pressed by operator 24. Push switches 32 to 34 are, for example, tactile switches, momentary switches, dome switches, membrane switches, or pressure-sensitive switches. In FIGS. 2 and 3, operator 24 and push switch 34 are respectively hidden behind operator 22 and push switch 32.
[0019] IC chip 35 is mounted on circuit board 30. This IC chip 35 controls a motor that serves as a power source for electric cutter 70 described later. IC chip 35 is not the same as any of the components mounted on lower model printing apparatus 101, and the circuit corresponding to IC chip 35 is not mounted on lower model printing apparatus 101. That is, an IC chip having the same model number as IC chip 35 is not mounted on lower model printing apparatus 101. The model number is what specifies the type of the component associated therewith.
[0020] The circuit board 30 has an antenna. The antenna is either patterned on the circuit board 30 or surface-mounted. The antenna transmits and receives radio waves of a predetermined standard, such as the Wi-Fi standard and the Bluetooth® standard. Wireless communication with other devices via this antenna is used for transferring print data from other devices to the printing device 1, transferring data from the printing device 1 to other devices, and setting up the printing device 1 by other devices.
[0021] The circuit board 30 is connected to the main board via flexible wiring 36 such as FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), lead wires and wire harnesses, a relay board 37 and flexible wiring 38, etc. The flexible wiring 36, relay board 37, flexible wiring 38 and the main board 39 are housed in the enclosure 10.
[0022] In addition, components other than the circuit board 30, antenna, push switches 32-34, and IC chip 35 may be housed in the protrusion 20. The components housed in the protrusion 20 are not identical to any of the components mounted on the lower-end model printing device 101, and it is preferable that components corresponding to the components housed in the protrusion 20 are not mounted on the lower-end model printing device 101.
[0023] • Transport motor The transport motor 40 is mounted inside the housing 10. The transport motor 40 outputs torque to the platen roller 65 and the winding reel 58, which will be described later, via a transmission mechanism.
[0024] • Cassette The cassette 50 is detachable from the housing 10. The cassette 50 includes a cassette case 51, a main winding reel 52, a main winding reel 53, a take-up reel 58, a tape roll 54, and a ribbon roll 56.
[0025] Reels 52, 53, and 58 are rotatably mounted inside the cassette case 51 with their central axes parallel to each other. The main winding reel 52 is mounted in the center of the tape roll 54, and the tape roll 54 is housed in the cassette case 51. The tape roll 54 has tape 55, which is the printing medium, wound around it. The tape 55 is guided from the tape roll 54 to the outside of the top surface of the cassette case 51. The tape 55 is a laminate in which a base material, adhesive and tape body are laminated in order, and the adhesive is peelable from the base material. The main winding reel 53 is mounted in the center of the ribbon roll 56, and the ribbon roll 56 is housed in the cassette case 51. The ribbon roll 56 has an ink ribbon 57 for thermal transfer wound around it. The ink ribbon 57 is guided from the ribbon roll 56 to the outside of the cassette case 51, where it is superimposed on the tape 55, and from there guided to the take-up reel 58 inside the cassette case 51.
[0026] When the cassette 50 is housed in the casing 10, the reels 52, 53, and 58 are arranged in order from back to front, the tape 55 is guided from the tape roll 54 to the discharge port 18, and the reel take-up reel 58 is connected to the transport motor 40 via a transmission mechanism. When the transport motor 40 rotates the take-up reel 58, the ink ribbon 57 is pulled from the main winding reel 53 toward the take-up reel 58 and wound onto the take-up reel 58.
[0027] • Thermal head and platen roller The thermal head 60 and platen roller 65 are mounted inside the housing 10, away from the discharge port 18. The platen roller 65 is positioned above the thermal head 60 and pressed against the thermal head 60 by a spring or the like. When the cassette 50 is housed inside the housing 10, the overlapping portions of the tape 55 and ink ribbon 57 are sandwiched between the platen roller 65 and the thermal head 60.
[0028] The platen roller 65 is connected to the transport motor 40 via a transmission mechanism. When the transport motor 40 rotates the platen roller 65, transport force is applied from the platen roller 65 to the tape 55 and the ink ribbon 57, causing the tape 55 to be transported toward the discharge port 18 and the ink ribbon 57 to be transported toward the take-up reel 58.
[0029] The thermal head 60 has multiple heating elements arranged in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the platen roller 65. These heating elements individually generate heat, and the ink heated by the heating elements is transferred from the ink ribbon 57 to the tape 55. This prints images such as letters, numbers, symbols, and pictograms onto the tape 55, particularly on the surface of the tape itself.
[0030] • Electric cutter The electric cutter 70 is installed inside the housing 10 near the discharge port 18. The electric cutter 70 cuts the tape 55. Here, the electric cutter 70 has a full-cut function, a half-cut function, or both. The full-cut function means that the electric cutter 70 cuts the tape 55 from the front to the back surface. The half-cut function means that the electric cutter 70 cuts the tape 55 from the front surface to the adhesive layer.
[0031] The electric cutter 70 has a fixed blade 71, at least one movable blade 72, and a drive mechanism 73. The fixed blade 71 is fixed to the housing 10 between the cassette 50 and the discharge port 18. The movable blade 72 is attached to the housing 10 via a guide between the cassette 50 and the discharge port 18. The movable blade 72 is positioned above the fixed blade 71 with the tape 55 placed between it and the fixed blade 71, and is guided up and down by the guide. The range of motion of the movable blade 72 by the guide, i.e., the stroke of the movable blade 72, is greater than the stroke of the push buttons 92-94. The drive mechanism 73 moves the movable blade 72 up and down so that it moves toward and away from the fixed blade 71. The drive mechanism 73 has a motor and a transmission mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the motor into the up and down motion of the movable blade 72. When the drive mechanism 73 moves the movable blade 72 toward the fixed blade 71, the tape 55 is cut by the movable blade 72 and the fixed blade 71. When the drive mechanism 73 returns the movable blade 72 from the fixed blade 71, the movable blade 72 moves upward away from the fixed blade 71. Note that if the electric cutter 70 has either a full-cut function or a half-cut function, there is one movable blade 72. If the electric cutter 70 has both a full-cut function and a half-cut function, there are two movable blades 72, one of which is for full-cutting and the other is for half-cutting, and the drive mechanism 73 uses a clutch to selectively move one of the two movable blades 72 up and down.
[0032] • Operation of the printing device When the printing operation of the printing device 1 begins, the transport motor 40 rotates the platen roller 65 and the take-up reel 58. As a result, the tape 55 is transported from the tape roll 54 to the discharge port 18, and the ink ribbon 57 is transported from the ribbon roll 56 to the take-up reel 58. While the tape 55 and ink ribbon 57 are being transported, the thermal head 60 heat-transfers an image from the ink ribbon 57 to the tape 55, thereby printing the image onto the tape 55. After that, the transport motor 40 stops, and the transport of the tape 55 and ink ribbon 57 stops. Subsequently, the drive mechanism 73 moves the movable blade 72 toward the fixed blade 71, and the tape 55 is cut by the fixed blade 71 and the movable blade 72. After that, the drive mechanism 73 separates the movable blade 72 from the fixed blade 71. This completes the printing operation of the printing device 1.
[0033] Furthermore, when the printing device 1 is not performing a printing operation, if the user presses the push button 94, the drive mechanism 73 moves the movable blade 72 closer to the fixed blade 71 and then away from the fixed blade 71. This causes the tape 55 to be cut.
[0034] [3. Lower-end printing devices] The lower-level model printing device 101 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 4, 5, and 6. Note that the reference numerals of corresponding components in printing device 101 and printing device 1 share the same last two digits.
[0035] The printing device 101 includes a housing 110, operation buttons 125, a circuit board 130, push switches 132 and 133, a main board 139, a transport motor 140, a cassette 150, a thermal head 160, a platen roller 165, and a manual cutter 170.
[0036] • Housing, operation buttons, push buttons and push switches The housing 110 has a mounting opening 119 on its upper surface 111. The mounting opening 119 is located near the front edge of the upper surface 111 of the housing 110.
[0037] The operation button 125 is fitted into the mounting opening 119. A portion of the operation button 125 protrudes upward from the mounting opening 119, and a portion of the operation button 125 is located inside the housing 110. The operation button 125 has a flange 126 that protrudes outward on the outer circumference of its lower end. The operation button 125 is biased upward by the elastic force of a spring 128 inside the housing 110, and the flange 126 of the operation button 125 catches on the edge of the mounting opening 119, holding the operation button 125 in its uppermost position. When the operation button 125 is pressed against the elastic force of the spring 128, the operation button 125 moves downward. The operation button 125 can be pressed down to a position where its top is flush with the upper surface 111 of the housing 110, or to a position where its top is lower than the upper surface 111 of the housing 110. The vertical stroke of the operation button 125 is greater than the stroke of the push buttons 92-94 on the upper-level printing device 1. The stroke of the operation button 125 refers to the distance from the position of the operation button 125 when it is at its highest point to the position of the operation button 125 when it is at its lowest point.
[0038] The casing 110 of the printing device 101 and the casing 10 of the printing device 1 are similar in appearance or common in the following respects: Both casings 110 and 10 are rounded rectangular boxes. Both casings 110 and 10 have discharge ports 118 and 18 formed in the vertical center of the front surfaces 112 and 12 of casings 110 and 10, respectively. Both casings 110 and 10 have a width smaller than their depth and height. Both casings 110 and 10 have a height smaller than their depth. The ratio of the depth, width and height of casing 110 is equal to the ratio of the depth, width and height of casing 10, where "equal" includes being exactly equal and approximately equal. The depth, width and height of casing 110 may be equal to or different from the depth, width and height of casing 10, respectively.
[0039] The housing 110 and operation button 125 of the printing device 101 and the housing 10 and protrusion 20 of the printing device 1 are similar in appearance or common in the following respects: The relative position of the operation button 125 with respect to the housing 110 and the relative position of the protrusion 20 with respect to the housing 10 are the same or approximate. The size of the operation button 125 with respect to the housing 110 and the relative size of the protrusion 20 with respect to the housing 10 are the same or approximate.
[0040] Therefore, printing device 1 and printing device 101 have a unified external shape, and their external shapes are similar to each other. The similarity of the external shapes of printing devices 1 and 101 means that their external shapes give consumers the impression of being unified. The external color or pattern of printing device 1 may be the same as, similar to, or dissimilar to, the external color or pattern of printing device 101.
[0041] The operators 122 and 123 are located on the top surface 111 of the housing 110, arranged in a front-to-back configuration. The push switches 132 and 133 are located below the operators 122 and 123, respectively. The push switches 132 and 133 are mounted on a circuit board 130 housed within the enclosure 110. The pair of push switch 132 and operator 122 is the button 192 for turning the power of the printing device 101 on and off, and the pair of push switch 133 and operator 123 is the button for turning the wireless communication function of the printing device 1 on and off. When operator 122 is pressed, push switch 132 is pressed by operator 122, and when operator 123 is pressed, push switch 133 is pressed by operator 123.
[0042] • Main board, transport motor, thermal head, platen roller, and cassette In the same manner that the main board 39, transport motor 40, thermal head 60, and platen roller 65 of printing device 1 are mounted inside the housing 10, the main board 139, transport motor 140, thermal head 160, and platen roller 165 of printing device 101 are mounted inside the housing 110.
[0043] In printing device 1, the antenna is mounted on circuit board 30, whereas in printing device 101, the antenna is mounted on main board 139. Also, in printing device 1, circuit board 30 on which push switches 32-34 are mounted is housed in the hollow 27 of the protrusion 20, whereas in printing device 101, circuit board 130 on which push switches 132 and 133 are mounted is housed in the hollow 117 of the housing 110. Otherwise, the main board 39 of printing device 1 and the main board 139 of printing device 101 are the same.
[0044] The transport motor 140, thermal head 160, and platen roller 165 of the printing device 101 are the same as the transport motor 40, thermal head 60, and platen roller 65 of the printing device 1, respectively.
[0045] Just as the cassette 50 of the printing device 1 is housed in the housing 10, the cassette 150 of the printing device 101 is housed in the housing 110. The cassette 50 of the printing device 1 can be used in the printing device 101, and the cassette 150 of the printing device 101 can be used in the printing device 1. The cassette 150 is the same as the cassette 50. Therefore, the description of the cassette case 151, the main winding reel 152, the main winding reel 153, the take-up reel 158, the tape roll 154, the tape 155, the ribbon roll 156, and the ink ribbon 157 of the cassette 150 is omitted.
[0046] • Manual cutter The manual cutter 170 is located inside the housing 110 and below the operation button 125, near the discharge port 118. The manual cutter 170 performs a cutting operation when the operation button 125 is pressed.
[0047] The manual cutter 170 has a fixed blade 171, at least one movable blade 172, and a connecting member 174. The mounting positions of the fixed blade 171 and the movable blade 172 are the same as the mounting positions of the fixed blade 71 and the movable blade 72 in the printing device 1. The movable blade 172 is guided up and down by a guide. The movable blade 172 is connected to the connecting member 174, which is connected to the operation button 125.
[0048] When the user presses the operation button 125 against the elastic force of the spring 128, the movable blade 172 moves toward the fixed blade 171, and the tape 155 is cut by the movable blade 172 and the fixed blade 171. When the user releases the pressure from the operation button 125, the operation button 125, the movable blade 172, and the connecting member 174 move upward.
[0049] [4. Favorable effects] (1) A common, consistent design concept is adopted for the printing apparatus 1,101, resulting in a unified external shape and similar external shapes for each apparatus. Specifically, the relative position and size of the protrusion 20 relative to the housing 10 of the printing apparatus 1 and the relative position and size of the operation button 125 relative to the housing 110 of the printing apparatus 101 are identical or similar. The printing apparatus 1,101, having a common design concept, has high added value.
[0050] (2) Because a common design concept is adopted for the printing device 1,101, the external shape of the printing device 1,101 will make consumers feel a sense of connection and commonality with the printing device 1,101, and will increase its appeal to consumers. For example, if a user who has purchased the lower-end model printing device 101 likes the printing device 101, they will be inclined to purchase the printing device 1, which shares the same design concept as the printing device 101.
[0051] (3) Because the printing devices 1,101 share a common design concept and their external shapes are similar to each other, it is clear to consumers that the printing devices 1,101 are sister models.
[0052] (4) Since the printing device 1 is superior to the printing device 101, the printing device 1 will have components that are not mounted on the printing device 101. For example, the printing device 1 has a push switch 34 and an IC chip 35, but components equivalent to the push switch 34 and IC chip 35 are not mounted on the printing device 101. Since the components not mounted on the printing device 101 are housed in the protrusion 20, the housing 10 of the printing device 1 can be kept from becoming larger than the housing 110 of the printing device 101. Therefore, a common design concept can be adopted for the printing devices 1 and 101.
[0053] (5) Since the protrusion 20 does not move relative to the housing 10, the hollow space 27 of the protrusion 20 can be effectively utilized. As described above, the hollow space 27 of the protrusion 20 can be effectively utilized as mounting space for the circuit board 30, antenna, push switches 32-34 and IC chip 35.
[0054] (6) Since the protrusion 20 protrudes upward from the outer surface of the housing 10, the area around the protrusion 20 is empty space except for the area directly below it. As a result, the radio waves transmitted and received by the antenna are not interfered with, and the antenna has high reception sensitivity.
[0055] (7) The stroke of the push buttons 92-94 on the printer 1 is smaller than the stroke of the operation button 125 on the printer 101. Therefore, the printer 1 is easier to use than the printer 101.
[0056] (8) The cutter 70 is electrically operated, and the stroke of the push button 93 is smaller than the stroke of the movable blade 72. Therefore, the movable blade 72 of the cutter 70 can be easily operated.
[0057] [5. Additional remarks] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and illustrated examples described above, but includes the scope of the invention as described in the claims and its equivalents. The invention described in the claims initially attached to the application for this patent is listed below. The claim numbers listed below are the same as those in the claims initially attached to the application for this patent. <Note> <Claim 1> A printing apparatus having an auto-cutting function that cuts the printing medium with an electric cutter, Another printing device, which is a different model from the aforementioned printing device, has a similar external shape to the aforementioned other printing device, and has a manual cutting function that cuts the printing medium by a manual cutter that operates in conjunction with the pressing of an operation button, instead of the auto-cut function. A component or communication antenna that is not identical to a component mounted on the aforementioned other printing device is housed in the internal space corresponding to the operation button. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features. <Claim 2> A printing apparatus having an auto-cutting function that cuts the printing medium with an electric cutter, Another printing device, which is a different model from the aforementioned printing device, has a similar external shape to the aforementioned other printing device, and has a manual cutting function that cuts the printing medium by a manual cutter that operates in conjunction with the pressing of an operation button, instead of the auto-cut function. A push button is provided at the top of the position corresponding to the aforementioned operation button, with a stroke set to be smaller than the stroke of the aforementioned operation button. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features. <Claim 3> The aforementioned operation button is provided in a convex shape, It comprises a protrusion formed at the position corresponding to the aforementioned operation button, The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. <Claim 4> The aforementioned operation button can be pressed down to a position where its top is flush with the outer surface of the other printing device, or to a position where its top is lower than the outer surface of the other printing device. The printing apparatus according to feature 3. <Claim 5> The aforementioned operation buttons are located towards the front of the other printing device. The aforementioned protrusion is positioned closer to the front of the printing device. The printing apparatus according to feature 3. <Claim 6> A housing having a first internal space, A protrusion that protrudes from the outer surface of the housing, is integrally formed with the housing, and has a second internal space that communicates with the first internal space of the housing, The device comprises a communication antenna housed in the second internal space, A printing apparatus characterized by the following features. <Claim 7> A housing having a first internal space, A protrusion that protrudes from the outer surface of the housing, is integrally formed with the housing, and has a second internal space that communicates with the first internal space of the housing, An electric cutter having a movable blade that reciprocates with a predetermined stroke, housed in the first internal space of the housing, and cutting a printing medium with the movable blade, The electric cutter is equipped with a push button provided at the top of the protrusion, which can be pressed with a stroke smaller than the stroke of the movable blade, and which activates the electric cutter. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0058] 1 Printing device 20 Convex part 35 IC chips 70 Electric Cutter 92, 93, 94 Push buttons 101 Second printing device (other printing device) 125 Operation Buttons
Claims
1. A printing apparatus having an auto-cutting function that cuts the printing medium with an electric cutter, Another printing device, which is a different model from the aforementioned printing device, has a similar external shape to the aforementioned other printing device, and has a manual cutting function that cuts the printing medium by a manual cutter that operates in conjunction with the pressing of an operation button, instead of the auto-cut function. The communication antenna is housed in the internal space corresponding to the operation button. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features.
2. A push button is provided at the top of the position corresponding to the operation button, the push button having a stroke smaller than the stroke of the operation button. The printing apparatus according to feature 1.
3. The aforementioned operation button is provided in a convex shape, It comprises a protrusion formed at the position corresponding to the aforementioned operation button, The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.
4. The aforementioned operation button can be pressed down to a position where its top is flush with the outer surface of the other printing device, or to a position where its top is lower than the outer surface of the other printing device. The printing apparatus according to feature 3.
5. The aforementioned operation buttons are located towards the front of the other printing device. The aforementioned protrusion is positioned closer to the front of the printing device. The printing apparatus according to feature 3.