Printing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a printer that restrains a cut label from remaining in a cabinet.SOLUTION: A printer 1 comprises a cutting part 5 for creating a label L by cutting a tape T, and first and second carrier rollers 108 and 109 that are pressed against each other during period from the cutting of the tape T to the carrying of the label L so as to grip the label L.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosure of the present specification relates to a printing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, printing apparatuses capable of printing on a print-receiving medium such as a tape to produce labels have been known.

[0003] Such a printing apparatus is provided with a discharge mechanism for discharging the produced label (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the configuration described in the above document, depending on the position of the label cutting mechanism and the label discharge path, the label may not be discharged properly and may remain inside the housing.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object according to one aspect of the present invention is to suppress the cut label from remaining inside the housing in a printing apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] A printing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a cutting unit that cuts a print-receiving medium to produce a label; and first and second conveyance rollers that grip the label by being pressed against each other between a time when the print-receiving medium is cut and a time when the label is conveyed The replacement printing medium is inserted into the printing apparatus from a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the printing medium, and at least one of the first and second transport rollers has a tapered shape on the insertion side of the replacement printing medium. .

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the above embodiment, it is possible to suppress the retention of cut labels inside the casing of the printing apparatus. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a printing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the printing section 2, the cutting section, and the discharge section. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the discharge section 200 according to the comparative example. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating the operation of the discharge unit 200. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the challenges in the discharge section 200. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the discharge section 100 according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the relationship between the elastic part 207, the rubber 210, the rotating shaft 211, the first conveyor roller 108, and the second conveyor roller 109. [Figure 8] This is a diagram illustrating the operation of the discharge unit 100. [Figure 9] This figure shows the movement of tape T during tape replacement. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing the configuration of Guide 110. [Figure 11] This figure shows a modified example 1 of the first and second conveyor rollers. [Figure 12] This figure shows a modified example 2 of the first and second conveyor rollers. [Figure 13] This figure shows a modified example 3 of the first and second conveyor rollers. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] In the description of the following drawings, in the three-dimensional space consisting of the x-direction, y-direction, and z-direction shown in FIG. 1, the conveying direction of a label L, which will be described later, is defined as the x-direction, the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the label L (the rotation axis direction of each of a first conveying roller 108 and a second conveying roller 109, which will be described later) is defined as the y-direction, and the direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the x-direction and the y-direction is defined as the z-direction.

[0012] In addition, in the present specification, terms such as "first" and "second" that modify nouns do not limit the amount or order of the elements represented by the nouns. These terms are used to distinguish between two or more elements, and are neither more nor less than that. Therefore, the identification of the "first" element and the "second" element does not mean that the "first" element precedes the "second" element, nor does it exclude the existence of a "third" element.

[0013] In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be described with an example of a printing apparatus that prints characters, images, and the like on a tape using a thermal head, cuts the tape after printing, and discharges the printed and cut labels (tape pieces) to the outside.

[0014] In addition, in the present specification, a tape is an elongated and thin strip-shaped print-receiving medium made of plastic, paper, or any other material, and typically has an adhesive layer and can be adhered. Note that the tape does not necessarily have to have an adhesive layer.

[0015] In addition, the printing apparatus according to the embodiment is a thermal printer including a thermal head, but the printing method is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a thermal transfer method or a direct thermal method. Furthermore, the printing apparatus is not limited to thermal printers, and may be other printers such as inkjet printers and laser printers.

[0016] Further, the printing apparatus according to the embodiment includes a cutting unit driven by rotational power of a motor, and a discharge unit that operates in conjunction with driving of the cutting unit. Note that the cutting unit may be driven manually, and in this case, the discharge unit may operate in conjunction with manual driving of the cutting unit. Further, the discharge unit does not need to operate in conjunction with driving of the cutting unit, and for example, may operate by rotational power of a motor different from the motor used for driving the cutting unit.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the printing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship among a printing unit, the cutting unit, and the discharge unit. Hereinafter, the printing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the cutting unit is schematically indicated by a "scissors mark", and the discharge unit is schematically indicated by a "two-dot chain line frame".

[0018] The printing apparatus 1 is a label printer that prints characters, graphics, and the like on a tape T. The printing apparatus 1 may, for example, perform printing on the tape T in response to a print instruction received from an information processing apparatus (not shown), and does not need to include an input device or a display device. The tape T on which characters, graphics, and the like are printed is cut inside the printing apparatus 1 to be produced as a label L (tape piece), and the label L is discharged to the outside of the printing apparatus 1 from a discharge port 4 formed in a housing 3 of the printing apparatus 1.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the printing apparatus 1 is provided with the discharge unit (the two-dot chain line frame) near the discharge port 4. The discharge unit operates in conjunction with a cutting unit 5 (see FIG. 3) described later, and thereby has a role of reliably discharging the label L produced by cutting the tape T with the cutting unit 5 to the outside of the printing apparatus 1.

[0020] Within the printing device 1, the tape T is transported from the thermal head 6 of the printing unit 2 to the cutting unit (scissors mark), as shown in Figure 2. The label L is discharged from the discharge unit (double-dotted frame) through the discharge port 4 to the outside of the printing device 1. More specifically, the tape T, which is fed out from a tape roll (not shown) by the rotation of the platen roller 7, is printed between the platen roller 7 and the thermal head 6, and then cut at the cutting unit. After that, the label L separated from the tape T is discharged from the printing device 1 through the discharge port 4 by the discharge unit.

[0021] Tape T is a consumable item and needs to be replaced with a new tape T at appropriate intervals. Furthermore, the printing device 1 can use various types of tape T with different widths and colors, and the tape T is replaced according to the application. The discharge unit (the frame indicated by the dashed line) has a unique configuration, described later, that facilitates the replacement of such tape T and ensures reliable discharge of the tape T outside the printing device 1 (housing 3), which is the basic function of the discharge unit. In other words, the printing device 1 with a discharge unit can achieve high work efficiency during tape T replacement while maintaining higher basic performance compared to conventional printing devices. This point will be explained in detail below.

[0022] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the discharge unit 200 according to the comparative example. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the discharge unit 200, where (a) to (d) are views from the y direction. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the problems in the discharge unit 200, showing the tape T, label L, and first transport roller 208 viewed from the z direction. To facilitate understanding of the features of the discharge unit 100 of the printing apparatus 1, the configuration and operation of the discharge unit 200 according to the comparative example will be explained with reference to Figures 3 to 5 before describing the discharge unit 100.

[0023] The discharge unit 200 is similar to the discharge unit 100, which will be described later, in that it performs a discharge operation in conjunction with the cutting operation of the cutting unit 5. The discharge unit 200 differs from the discharge unit 100 in that the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209 are basically spaced apart from each other and press against each other at the necessary timing (for example, when transporting the cut label L after cutting the tape T).

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the discharge unit 200 includes a pinion gear 201, two rack gears 202 and 203 that mesh with the pinion gear 201, a cam 205, a first conveyor roller 208, and a second conveyor roller 209.

[0025] Each of the rack gears 202 and 203 has a tooth row aligned in the direction of the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 209, and moves in the direction of the aligned tooth row in conjunction with the cutting section 5, as will be described later.

[0026] The rack gear 202 is equipped with a protruding portion 204 that engages with a link portion 206, which will be described later. The rack gear 203 is equipped with an elastic portion 207 made of resin or the like. The elastic portion 207 is a leaf spring bent into an S shape and extends from one end of the rack gear 203. The elastic portion 207 moves together with the rack gear 203 which is linked to the cutting portion 5, and rotates the second conveyor roller 209 by rubbing against the rubber 210 wrapped around the rotation shaft 211 of the second conveyor roller 209 during its movement.

[0027] The cam 205 is equipped with a link portion 206 that engages with the protruding portion 204. The cam 205 is also connected to the cutting portion 5. The cutting portion 5 is a full cutter that cuts the tape T in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction to create a label L. The cutting portion 5 opens and closes by the rotation of the cam 205.

[0028] The first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209 are a pair of transport rollers that discharge the label L, created by cutting at the cutting section 5, outside the printing device 1. The first transport roller 208 is fixed on the transport path of the tape T and the label L. The second transport roller 209 moves in a direction perpendicular to the transport path in conjunction with the cutting section 5, and is selectively positioned either in a position that does not contact the first transport roller 208 or in a position that contacts the first transport roller 208.

[0029] A rubber 210 is wrapped around the rotating shaft 211 of the second conveyor roller 209. As the elastic part 207 moves with the movement of the rack gear 203, it interferes with the rubber 210, generating a frictional force between the rubber 210 and the elastic part 207, causing the rotating shaft 211 to rotate. As a result, the second conveyor roller 209 rotates, and the label L, which is sandwiched between the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 209, is conveyed.

[0030] In the discharge unit 200 configured as described above, the label L is discharged in conjunction with the cutting unit 5 (full cutter), which opens and closes due to the rotation of the cam 205. The discharge operation of the label L will be described in detail below.

[0031] First, the cutting section 5 closes in conjunction with the counterclockwise rotation of the cam 205, cutting the tape T. At this time, the link section 206 approaches the projection section 204, and the tip of the projection section 204 is inserted into the elongated hole 206a formed in the link section 206, causing the link section 206 and projection section 204 to engage. Subsequently, as the rotation continues, the rack gear 202 is pushed down by the link section 206, while the rack gear 203 and elastic section 207 rise. As a result, as shown in Figure 4(a), the elastic section 207 is positioned higher than the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) of the second conveyor roller 209, which is spaced apart from the first conveyor roller 208.

[0032] After the full cut is complete, the cam 205 rotates clockwise. The cutting section 5 begins to open in conjunction with the clockwise rotation of the cam 205. At this time, the rack gear 202 is lifted by being pulled by the link section 206, and conversely, the rack gear 203 and the elastic section 207 move downward in the direction toward the rotation axis 211. As a result, as shown in Figure 4(b), the elastic section 207 comes into contact with the rubber 210 (rotation axis 211) and pushes down the rubber 210, causing the second conveyor roller 209 to move to a position where it presses against the first conveyor roller 208, and the label L is sandwiched between the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 209.

[0033] Furthermore, as the elastic part 207 lowers, as shown in Figure 4(c), the elastic part 207 rubs against the surface of the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) and moves over the rubber 210. At this time, the frictional force applied to the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) causes the second transport roller 209 to rotate, and the label L created by cutting at the cutting section 5 is transported by the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209 out of the discharge port 4 (see Figure 2) of the housing 3 to the outside of the printing device 1.

[0034] Then, as the cam 205 rotates further clockwise, the link portion 206 detaches from the protruding portion 204. Subsequently, as the cam 205 returns to the neutral position, the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) is lifted by the elastic portion 207, as shown in Figure 4(d), and the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 209 are separated.

[0035] As described above, in the discharge section 200, after full cutting, the label L is sandwiched between the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209, and then the label L is discharged outside the printing device 1, after which the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209 separate again.

[0036] As a result, in the neutral state before printing starts, the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209 are separated, making it possible to insert tape T between the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209, and allowing a new tape T to be easily set in the printing device 1 when replacing tape T.

[0037] However, since the discharge unit 200 is configured to hold the label L created by cutting between the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209, the label L at the time of cutting is not held by the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209, but is merely resting on the first transport roller 208 (as shown in Figure 4(a)). For this reason, as shown in Figure 5, the impact applied to the tape T during cutting may cause the label L to move to a position away from the first transport roller 208, and as a result, the label L may not be able to be held between the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209. The label L that could not be held between the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209 may remain inside the housing 3 of the printing device 1, potentially causing a tape jam.

[0038] Therefore, in the discharge section 100, in order to avoid unintended movement of the label L due to such impact during cutting, the transport roller pair is kept in a state where it is constantly pressing against each other. That is, in the discharge section 100, the label L is gripped by the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 209 pressing against each other from the time the tape T is cut until the label L is transported.

[0039] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the discharge section 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the elastic part 207, the rubber 210, the rotating shaft 211, the first conveyor roller 108, and the second conveyor roller 109. In the discharge section 100 shown in Figure 6, the same components as those in the discharge section 200 shown in Figure 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. The configuration of the discharge section 100 will be described below with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Furthermore, the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 do not necessarily have to be provided in the discharge section 100, and may be provided at any position on the conveyor path. Regardless of where the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 are provided on the conveyor path, tape replacement can be easily performed by making the shape of the side of at least one of the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 on the side in the direction of insertion of the replacement tape T tapered.

[0040] The discharge unit 100 is similar to the discharge unit 200 in that it discharges the label L in conjunction with the cutting unit 5. That is, the elastic part 207 moves in conjunction with the cutting unit 5, and while moving, it rubs against the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) of the second transport roller 109, causing it to rotate and discharge the label L outside the printing device 1. However, the discharge unit 100 differs from the discharge unit 200 in that the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 are always kept pressed against each other to prevent unintended movement of the label L due to the impact during cutting, which is a problem in the discharge unit 200 described above.

[0041] Furthermore, while the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 209 of the discharge section 200 are cylindrical in shape, the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 of the discharge section 100 are spherical in shape.

[0042] As shown in Figure 6, the discharge unit 100 includes a pinion gear 201, two rack gears 202 and 203 that mesh with the pinion gear 201, a cam 205, and a first transport roller 108 and a second transport roller 109 that discharge the label L to the outside of the printing device 1.

[0043] The second conveyor roller 109 is made of an elastic material such as rubber and is positioned close to the first conveyor roller 108. The second conveyor roller 109 also has a range of motion that allows it to move up and down by approximately the thickness of the tape T. Furthermore, to prevent rattling within this range of motion, a pressure F is constantly applied to the rotation axis 211 of the second conveyor roller 109 in the z-direction from the rotation axis 211 of the second conveyor roller 109 toward the rotation axis of the first conveyor roller 108, as shown in Figure 7. As a result, in the discharge section 100, the state in which the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 are pressed against each other is maintained. It is desirable that an elastic material such as a spring be used as a means of applying pressure F to the second conveyor roller 109, for example, so that the second conveyor roller 109 can be moved upward when the tape T or label L is inserted between the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109. The inside of the second conveyor roller 109 may also be hollow. In this case, where the inside of the second conveyor roller 109 is hollow, when tape T or label L is inserted into the nip portion between the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 (the portion where the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 come into contact with each other when no tape T or label L is inserted between them), the surface of the second conveyor roller 109 is pushed by the tape T or label L, causing the surface of the second conveyor roller 109 to deform inward. Therefore, even without moving the second conveyor roller 109 upward, the tape T or label L can be transported smoothly.

[0044] A rubber 210 is wrapped around the rotating shaft 211 of the second conveyor roller 109. When the elastic part 207, which moves together with the rack gear 203, interferes with the rubber 210, a frictional force is generated between the rubber 210 and the elastic part 207, causing the rotating shaft 211 to rotate. As a result, the second conveyor roller 109 rotates, and the tape T or label L sandwiched between the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 is conveyed.

[0045] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the discharge unit 100, with (a) to (d) being views from the y-direction. In the discharge unit 100 configured as described above, similar to the discharge unit 200, the label L is discharged in conjunction with the cutting unit 5 (full cutter), which opens and closes due to the rotation of the cam 205. The label L discharge operation performed by the discharge unit 100 will be explained in detail below with reference to Figures 6 to 8.

[0046] First, the cutting section 5 closes in conjunction with the counterclockwise rotation of the cam 205, cutting the tape T. At this time, the link section 206 approaches the projection section 204, and the tip of the projection section 204 is inserted into the elongated hole 206a formed in the link section 206, causing the link section 206 and the projection section 204 to engage. Subsequently, as the rotation continues, the rack gear 202 is pushed down by the link section 206, while the rack gear 203 and the elastic section 207 rise. As a result, as shown in Figure 8(a), the elastic section 207 is positioned higher than the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) of the second conveyor roller 109 that is pressing against the first conveyor roller 108.

[0047] Next, after the tape T is cut by the cutting section 5, the cam 205 rotates clockwise. The cutting section 5 begins to open in conjunction with the clockwise rotation of the cam 205. At this time, the rack gear 202 is lifted by being pulled by the link section 206, and conversely, the rack gear 203 and the elastic section 207 move downward in the direction of approaching the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211). As a result, as shown in Figure 8(b), after the elastic section 207 comes into contact with the rubber 210, the elastic section 207 moves further downward in the direction of approaching the rotating shaft of the first conveyor roller 108 while rubbing against the surface of the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211). At this time, the frictional force applied to the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) causes the second conveyor roller 109 to rotate, and the label L created by cutting at the cutting section 5 is conveyed by the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 towards the discharge port 4 of the housing 3 (see Figure 2). More specifically, the labels L that come into contact with the spherical surfaces of the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 move between the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 due to the frictional force generated between the first conveyor roller 108 and the label L, and between the second conveyor roller 109 and the label L, caused by the rotation of the second conveyor roller 109.

[0048] Next, as the cam 205 rotates further clockwise, the elastic part 207 rubs against the surface of the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) and moves over the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211), as shown in Figure 8(c). At this time, the frictional force applied to the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) causes the second transport roller 109 to rotate, and the label L created by cutting at the cutting section 5 is transported out of the printing device 1 through the discharge port 4 by the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109.

[0049] Then, as the cam 205 rotates further clockwise, the link portion 206 detaches from the protruding portion 204. Subsequently, as the cam 205 returns to the neutral position, the elastic portion 207 rises after overcoming the rubber 210 (rotating shaft 211) and returns to its original position, as shown in Figure 8(d).

[0050] As described above, in the printing apparatus 1 equipped with the discharge unit 100, the tape T is held by the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 when the tape T is cut by the cutting unit 5. As a result, since the label L is held by the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 at the time of cutting, it is possible to prevent the label L from moving away from the first transport roller 108 due to the impact of cutting. For this reason, the printing apparatus 1 with the discharge unit 100 can discharge the label L outside the printing apparatus 1 more reliably than the printing apparatus with the discharge unit 200.

[0051] Furthermore, in the discharge section 100, since the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 are spherical in shape, the tape T can be easily replaced when changing the tape. Figure 9 shows the movement of the tape T when changing the tape. In the printing apparatus 1, tape replacement is performed by replacing a container called a tape cassette or the like in which the tape T is contained.

[0052] First, after the used tape cassette is removed from the storage space (not shown) inside the printing device 1, a new tape cassette is inserted into that storage space. At this point, the end of the tape T pulled out from the tape cassette in the width direction (perpendicular to the transport direction) comes into contact with the upper surface of the first transport roller 108 or the lower surface of the second transport roller 109. In the example shown in Figure 9(a), the end of the tape T is in contact with the lower surface of the second transport roller 109.

[0053] Furthermore, when the tape T is inserted into the printing device 1, as shown in Figure 9(b), the end of the tape T is guided along the lower surface of the second transport roller 109 to the nip portion between the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109.

[0054] Then, as the end of the tape T is inserted further into the printing device 1, the tape T is inserted into the nip portion between the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109, as shown in Figure 9(c), and the replacement of the tape T is completed.

[0055] Here, for example, let's assume that the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 are both cylindrical in shape, and that the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 are always pressed against each other by a pressure F. In this case, when a new tape T is inserted into the printing device 1 and the end of the tape T contacts the upper surface of the first transport roller 108 or the lower surface of the second transport roller 109, the angle between the tape T and the upper surface of the first transport roller 108 or the angle between the tape T and the lower surface of the second transport roller 109 becomes approximately a right angle. Therefore, even if more new tape T is inserted into the printing device 1, the end of the tape T may not be guided into the nip portion between the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109, and there is a risk that the tape T will not be inserted into the nip portion between the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109.

[0056] On the other hand, in the discharge unit 100 according to the embodiment, since the shapes of the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 are spherical, that is, the shapes on the side of the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 in the direction in which the replacement tape T is inserted are tapered, when a new tape T is inserted into the printing device 1 during tape replacement, the end of the tape T contacts the upper surface of the first transport roller 108 or the lower surface of the second transport roller 109, and is then guided to the nip portion of the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109. Therefore, even if the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 are not separated, the new tape T is easily inserted into the nip portion of the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109. In this way, the discharge unit 100 according to the embodiment makes it easy to insert the replacement tape T into the nip portion of the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109, thus making tape replacement easy.

[0057] Thus, in the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 are always pressed against each other, so that the cut label L can be reliably discharged outside the printing apparatus 1.

[0058] Furthermore, in the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 have a tapered shape on the side facing the insertion direction of the replacement tape T, allowing the tape T to be easily replaced.

[0059] Furthermore, in the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, since the second transport roller 109 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, the frictional force between the second transport roller 109 and the label L can be made relatively large, and the label L can be discharged from the printing apparatus 1 more reliably.

[0060] Furthermore, in the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, since the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 are not separated when changing the tape, there is no need to provide a mechanism for raising the second transport roller 109, and thus manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0061] Furthermore, in the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, even if the length of the label L after cutting is made relatively short to reduce its weight, it is possible to suppress the label L from falling off the first transport roller 108, thus increasing the degree of freedom regarding the size of the label L.

[0062] Furthermore, the discharge unit 100 according to this embodiment may include a plate-shaped guide 110 positioned near the nip portion between the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109, as shown in Figure 10. This guide 110 allows the end of the tape T to be smoothly guided to the nip portion between the first transport roller 108 and the second transport roller 109 when a new tape T is inserted into the printing device 1 during tape replacement, thereby preventing damage to the tape T, such as bending or kinking, during tape replacement.

[0063] <Modified example 1 of the first and second conveyor rollers> Figure 11 shows a modified example 1 of the first and second conveyor rollers. In Figure 11, components identical to those shown in Figure 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. Figure 11(a) shows the first conveyor roller 108' and the second conveyor roller 109' as viewed from the conveying direction (x direction), and Figure 11(b) shows the first conveyor roller 108' and the second conveyor roller 109' as viewed from the insertion direction (y direction) of the new tape T. The second conveyor roller 109' is assumed to be made of an elastic material such as rubber.

[0064] The first conveyor roller 108' and the second conveyor roller 109' shown in Figures 11(a) and 11(b) differ from the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 shown in Figure 6 in that their shapes are approximately biconical (a shape formed by joining two approximately conical shapes at their bases). In other words, the shape of the side on which the replacement tape T is inserted and the shape on the opposite side of the insertion side of the replacement tape T are tapered. This makes it easier to insert the replacement tape T into the nip between the first conveyor roller 108' and the second conveyor roller 109', even if the first conveyor roller 108' and the second conveyor roller 109' are not separated, thus facilitating tape replacement.

[0065] Furthermore, the second conveyor roller 109' shown in Figures 11(a) and 11(b) is constantly subjected to pressure F in the direction from the rotation axis 211 of the second conveyor roller 109' toward the rotation axis of the first conveyor roller 108', similar to the second conveyor roller 109 shown in Figure 7. As a result, the first conveyor roller 108' and the second conveyor roller 109' are constantly pressed against each other, ensuring that the cut labels L are reliably discharged outside the printing device 1.

[0066] <Modified form 2 of the first and second conveyor rollers> Figure 12 shows a modified example 2 of the first and second conveyor rollers. In Figure 12, components identical to those shown in Figure 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. Figure 12(a) shows the first conveyor roller 108'' and the second conveyor roller 109'' viewed from the conveying direction (x direction), and Figure 12(b) shows the first conveyor roller 108'' and the second conveyor roller 109'' viewed from the insertion direction (y direction) of the new tape T. The second conveyor roller 109'' is assumed to be made of an elastic material such as rubber.

[0067] The first conveyor roller 108'' and the second conveyor roller 109'' shown in Figures 12(a) and 12(b) differ from the first conveyor roller 108 and the second conveyor roller 109 shown in Figure 6 in that their shapes are a combination of a roughly conical shape and a roughly cylindrical shape. In other words, in the first conveyor roller 108'' and the second conveyor roller 109'', only the shape on the insertion side for the replacement tape T is tapered. This makes it easier to insert the replacement tape T into the nip between the first conveyor roller 108'' and the second conveyor roller 109'', even if the first conveyor roller 108'' and the second conveyor roller 109'' are not separated, thus facilitating tape replacement.

[0068] Furthermore, the second transport roller 109'' shown in Figures 12(a) and 12(b) is constantly subjected to pressure F in the direction from the rotation axis 211 of the second transport roller 109'' toward the rotation axis of the first transport roller 108'', similar to the second transport roller 109 shown in Figure 7. As a result, the first transport roller 108'' and the second transport roller 109'' are constantly pressed against each other, ensuring that the cut labels L are reliably discharged outside the printing device 1.

[0069] <Modified example 3 of the first and second conveyor rollers> Figure 13 shows a modified example 3 of the first and second conveyor rollers. In Figure 13, components identical to those shown in Figures 3 and 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. Figure 13(a) shows the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 109 as viewed from the conveying direction (x direction), and Figure 13(b) shows the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 109 as viewed from the insertion direction (y direction) of the new tape T.

[0070] As shown in Figures 13(a) and 13(b), the first conveyor roller 208 has a roughly cylindrical shape, while the second conveyor roller 109 has a spherical shape. Specifically, the second conveyor roller 109 has a tapered shape on the side where the replacement tape T is inserted, and on the side opposite to the insertion side of the replacement tape T. This makes it easier to insert the replacement tape T into the nip between the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 109, even if the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 109 are not spaced apart, thus facilitating tape replacement. In the example shown in Figure 13, the first conveyor roller is cylindrical and the second conveyor roller is spherical, but the first conveyor roller may be spherical and the second conveyor roller may be cylindrical.

[0071] Furthermore, the second conveyor roller 109 shown in Figures 13(a) and 13(b) is constantly subjected to pressure F in the direction from the rotation axis 211 of the second conveyor roller 109 toward the rotation axis of the first conveyor roller 208, similar to the second conveyor roller 109 shown in Figure 7. As a result, the first conveyor roller 208 and the second conveyor roller 109 are constantly pressed against each other, ensuring that the cut labels L are reliably discharged outside the printing device 1.

[0072] Furthermore, a guide 111, formed from a part of the housing 3 and having a slanted portion 111a and a straight portion 111b, may be placed near the nip portion between the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 109 as shown in Figure 13. This makes it easier to insert the replacement tape T into the nip portion between the first transport roller 208 and the second transport roller 109, thus facilitating tape replacement.

[0073] Furthermore, the first conveyor roller 108 shown in Figure 6, the first conveyor roller 108' shown in Figure 11, the first conveyor roller 108'' shown in Figure 12, and the first conveyor roller 208 shown in Figure 13 may be made of an elastic material such as rubber.

[0074] Furthermore, in at least one of the first and second conveyor rollers of the embodiment, the shape of the insertion side for the replacement tape T is tapered, but the shapes of the first and second conveyor rollers are not particularly limited.

[0075] The embodiments described above are specific examples provided to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but should be understood as encompassing various modifications and alternative forms of the embodiments described above. For example, it will be understood that each embodiment can be materialized by modifying its components without departing from its spirit and scope. It will also be understood that various embodiments can be implemented by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the embodiments described above. Furthermore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various embodiments can be implemented by deleting some components from all the components shown in the embodiments, or by adding some components to the components shown in the embodiments. In other words, the printing apparatus can be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0076] The invention described in the original claims of this application is listed below.

[0077] [Note 1] A cutting unit that cuts the printing medium to create labels, First and second transport rollers that grip the label by pressing against each other from the time the printing medium is cut until the label is transported, A printing device equipped with the following features.

[0078] [Note 2] In the printing apparatus described in Appendix 1, In at least one of the first and second transport rollers, the shape of the side into which the replacement printing medium is inserted is tapered. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features.

[0079] [Note 3] In the printing apparatus described in Appendix 1, At least one of the first and second conveyor rollers is spherical in shape. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features.

[0080] [Note 4] In the printing apparatus described in Appendix 1, At least one of the first and second transport rollers is made of an elastic material. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features.

[0081] [Note 5] In the printing apparatus described in Appendix 1, The first and second conveyor rollers are provided with guides positioned near the nip portions. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 1 Printing device 2 Printing Department 3. Enclosure 4 Outlet 5 Cut section 6 Thermal Heads 7 Platen roller 108, 108', 108'', 208 First conveyor roller 109, 109', 109'', 209 Second conveyor roller Guides 110 and 111 201 Pinion Gear 202, 203 Rack Gear 204 Protrusion 205 Cam 206 Link section 207 Elastic part 208 First conveyor roller 209 Second conveyor roller 210 Rubber 211 Rotation axis T Tape L Label

Claims

1. A cutting unit that cuts the printing medium to create labels, First and second transport rollers that grip the label by pressing against each other from the time the printing medium is cut until the label is transported, Equipped with, The replacement printing medium is inserted into the printing device from a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the printing medium. In at least one of the first and second transport rollers, the shape of the insertion side for the replacement printing medium is tapered, or the shape of at least one of the first and second transport rollers is spherical. Printing device.

2. In the printing apparatus according to claim 1, At least one of the first and second transport rollers is made of an elastic material. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features.

3. In the printing apparatus according to claim 1, The first and second conveyor rollers are provided with guides positioned near the nip portions. A printing apparatus characterized by the following features.

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