Automatic opening device for a printer gate

Abstract

An automatic opening device for a printer having an openable/closeable gate for providing access to a printer housing for housing a paper roll onto which information is to be printed and housing other printer parts, comprising a rotatable shaft for carrying a printer roll for printing onto paper carried by a paper roll in the printer housing a sensor operatively associated with the paper roll for sensing when the end of the paper carried by the paper roll is reached, a gate lifting mechanism coupled to the gate to lift the gate for opening the printer housing to provide access to the paper roll, and an arrangement responsive to the sensor when sensing the end of the paper to operate the gate lifting mechanism to open the gate for providing access to the paper roll to change the paper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an opened printer containing a printer roll and provided with a unidirectional bearing according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the open roll printer of FIG. 1 partially disassembled with removed parts shown juxtaposed to the printer;

FIG. 3 is a partially perspective view of the unidirectional bearing 8, ring holder 11 and gear 12 which are placed onto hollow shaft 9 forming part of printer roll 6;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the printer in its closed condition with a side opened for viewing internal parts without fixed gear wheel 12, bearing 13 and cam 14;

FIG. 5 is a lateral or side view of the printer with a side cover removed showing gate 1, return spring 2, closing and opening mechanism 3, stepping motor 4, paper end sensor 7, fixed gear wheel 12 and bearing 13; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention of an opened roll printer showing gate 1 in its open position, return spring 2, gearing 5, printer roller 6 and solenoid 15, connect-cables 16, electric device 17 (shown in dashed outline), and central metallic part 18.

Claims

1. An automatic opening device for a printer having an openable/closeable gate for providing access to a printer housing for housing a paper roll onto which information is to be printed and other printer parts, comprising: a rotatable shaft for carrying a printer roll for printing onto paper carried by said paper roll housed in the printer housing;a sensor operatively associated with said paper roll for sensing when the end of the paper carried by said paper roll is reached;a gate lifting mechanism coupled to said gate and responsive to said sensor for lifting said gate to open the housing for the printer for providing access to the paper roll housed in said printer housing when an end of the paper on said paper roll is reached; andmeans responsive to said sensor for sensing when the end of the paper on the paper roll contained within said housing is reached for enabling access to said paper roll to be provided for permitting removal of said paper roll and replacement thereof and cooperating with said gate lifting mechanism for rendering said gate lifting mechanism operable to cause said gate lifting mechanism to raise said openable/closeable gate in response solely to said sensor sensing when the end of said paper is reached.

2. The automatic opening device claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor responsive means includes: an unidirectional bearing carried by rotatable shaft, said unidirectional bearing having an outer substantially cylindrical ring portion;said outer ring portion and said gear wheel having an outer set of ring teeth;a bearing mechanism including first and second components;said first component having a first part provided with a first set of outer gear teeth having a first diameter for engagement with said gear wheel and a second part with a second set of outer gear teeth having a second diameter having a diametric extent less than the first diameter of said first set of outer gear teeth, said second component including a first part having a set of outer gear teeth elements for engagement with said second set of outer gear teeth and a second part; andsaid second part of said second component including a cam carried by said second component for engaging said gate lifting mechanism gate for disengaging said gate from said printer housing for opening said gate.

3. The automatic gate opening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gate lifting mechanism includes a lever associated with said gate and engageable with said cam for releasing said gate from said printer housing to activate said gate lifting mechanism to open said gate and provide access to said housing for changing the paper roll when the end of the paper on said paper roll is reached.

4. The automatic open device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rotatable shaft has a first portion extending beyond one of the edges of said printer roll, andsaid unidirectional bearing has a second portion providing an inner hollow portion of a diameter greater than the outer diameter of the first portion of said rotatable shaft which extends beyond said printer roll, said rotatable shaft having a recessed portion proximate to its outer end, anda holding clip receivable in said second portion having said recessed hollow portion for receiving said clip to hold said unidirectional bearing onto the outer end of said shaft.

5. The automatic device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said gear wheel is provided with an open hollow portion to fit over the outer diameter of said unidirectional bearing.

6. The automatic opening device as claimed in claim 1, including a spring and a lever coupled with said gate lifting mechanism for enabling the spring to move said gate to an open condition from a closed position with said printer housing.

7. The automatic opening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor responsive means comprises: a solenoid associated with said sensor and responsive to said sensor for opening said openable/closeable gate when said sensor senses the end of the paper on said paper roll; and,a movable member forming part of said solenoid for contacting said gate lifting mechanism for causing said gate lifting mechanism to disengage said openable/closeable gate from said printer housing to open said gate and provide access to said printer housing.

8. The automatic opening device as claimed in claim 7, including: electrical means coupling said sensor with said solenoid for activating said solenoid when said sensor is rendered operative for detecting the end of the paper.

9. The automatic opening device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said movable member is a slideable core which moves into engagement with said gate lifting mechanism for activating said gate lifting mechanism to disengage said gate from its closed condition with said printer housing when said solenoid is rendered operative responsive to said sensor sensing the end of the paper on the paper roll.

10. The automatic opening device as claimed in claim 7, including a lever associated with said gate lifting mechanism and responsive to activation by said movable member to unlock said gate from said housing to enable said gate lifting mechanism to lift said gate from said printer housing.

11. An automatic opening device for a printer having an openable/closeable gate for providing access to a printer housing for housing a paper roll onto which information is to be printed and for housing other printer parts, comprising: a rotatable shaft for carrying a printer roll for printing onto paper carried by said paper roll in the printer housing;a sensor including an unidirectional bearing arrangement responsive to said sensor for sensing when the end of the paper carried by said paper roll is reached and for providing access to said printer housing;a gate lifting spring operated mechanism to lift said gate to open the housing for the printer for providing access to the paper roll housed in said printer housing;means responsive to said sensor when sensing the end of the paper on the paper roll contained within said housing for providing access to said paper roll for permitting removal thereof and cooperating with said gate lifting spring operated mechanism for rendering said gate lifting mechanism operable to raise said gate.

12. The automatic opening device as claimed in claim 11, including an unidirectional bearing arrangement comprising: said rotatable shaft having an outer portion to receive said unidirectional bearing, and said bearing having an outer ring portion;a gear wheel having an outer set teeth and having an inner opening of a diameter to fit onto said outer ring portion;a bearing mechanism including first and second components;said first component including a first set of outer gear teeth for engagement with the teeth said gear wheel and a first part with a second set of outer gear teeth at a diameter less than the diameter of said first set of outer gear teeth, and said second component including a second part having a set of outer gear teeth elements for engagement with said second set of outer gear teeth; anda cam carried by said second component for engaging said lifting mechanism gate for opening said gate.

13. An automatic opening device for a printer having an openable/closeable gate for providing access to a printer housing for housing a paper roll onto which information is to be printed and housing other printer parts, comprising: a rotatable shaft for carrying a printer roll for printing onto paper carried by a paper roll in the printer housing;a sensor operatively associated with said paper roll for sensing when the end of the paper carried by said paper roll is reached;a gate lifting mechanism coupled to said gate to lift said gate for opening the housing for the printer for providing access to the paper roll housed in said printer housing; andmeans including a solenoid arrangement responsive to said sensor when sensing the end of the paper on the paper roll contained within said housing for providing access to said paper roll for permitting removal thereof and cooperating with said gate lifting mechanism for rendering said gate lifting mechanism operable to raise said gate.

14. The automatic opening device as claimed in claim 13, including: electrical means coupling said sensor with said solenoid for activating said solenoid when said sensor is rendered operative for detecting the end of the paper.