1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of printers and, more particularly, to a method of retracting a tear bar in a printer.
2. Description of Background
Many retail establishments employ printers to print customer receipts. The printer is connected to a checkout terminal and includes a continuous roll of paper that is consumed over time. During a transaction, the printer prints, for example, a list of items purchased and corresponding prices on the paper. Ultimately, a total is printed, and a consumer or cashier draws the paper against a tear bar to remove a printed receipt. When the roll is empty, a new roll must be loaded into the printer before additional receipts are printed. In either case, the tear bar can hamper removing and replacing the roll. In some cases, the tear bar is mounted in a printer housing directly adjacent a paper loading area and may impede paper loading. In other cases, the tear bar is mounted in a printer cover. Cover mounted tear bars hamper sliding and end portion of the roll of paper through a slot formed in the printer cover.
The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of a method of retracting a tear bar in a printer. The method includes pivoting a printer access cover away from a printer housing to expose a paper storage portion, and retracting a tear bar into the printer housing away from the paper storage portion through operation of pivoting the printer access cover.
Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings.
The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains the exemplary embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
With initial reference to
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown, printer 2 includes a retractable tear bar 19. Retractable tear bar 19 is operatively connected to a cover release member 24 via a linkage 27. In operation, cover release member 24 is activated to release cover 5. More specifically, upon activating cover release member 24, cover 5 pivots open to expose paper storage portion 8. At the same time, linkage 27 shifts tear bar 19 from a first or operating position illustrated in
In accordance with another aspect of the invention illustrated in
With this construction, paper is readily passed between platen 14 and print head 15 and passed by tear bar 19 in a retracted configuration. By retracting tear bar 19 into paper storage portion 8 and away from exposed areas, not only is loading paper made easier, but overall serviceability of printer 2 is enhanced. Of course it should be realized that various other systems can be employed to retract tear bar 19 into housing 4. For example, a linkage (not shown) connected operatively connected to cover 5 and acting upon tear bar 19 could also be employed without departing from the spirit of exemplary embodiments of the invention.
While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.
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