The invention relates to a print head of a dot impact type and a print apparatus comprising the print head.
The former SIDM (Serial Impact Dot Matrix) print head (clapper type) (hereinafter: print head) is composed of a plurality of printing element, and it is to explain the structure on the basis of
With respect to
The armature 104 is composed of compression spring and the like, is pressed to a limiter portion 107 through a reset spring 108 whose one end is fixed, and a wire 105 is welded to the tip. As shown by
The wire 105 as respective printing elements is positioned through a wire guide 109 fixed in a guide nose 120 so that the tip forms a dot matrix, and a plurality of guides 118 fixed in the guide nose 120 suppress horizontal vibration and buckling of the wire 105.
The reset spring 108 stated above is furnished in a holder spring 124, and makes a pressing force act on the armature 104 to return to a standby position. Further, as shown by
After electric power is supplied from an electric source 112 to the coil 106 through a connector 123 on a head substrate 122, magnetic flux is generated in the magnetic path 121, the magnetic flux of the gap between the core 101 that is a part of the magnetic path 121 and the armature 104 acts as attracting force (electromagnetic force) to attract the armature 104 to the core 101 side.
Thus, the wire 105 joined with the armature 104 starts a motion to the direction of a platen 114, impacts on a paper 111 whose back is supported by the platen 114 through an ink ribbon 110, and forms a dot.
After supply of the electric power from the electric source 112 to the coil 106 is stopped, the attracting force is reduced, and when reaction force of the impact and the pressing force of the reset spring 108 to the armature 104 excel the influence of the attracting force, the armature 104 reverses the direction of the motion, and returns to the position of the limiter portion 107. The limiter portion 107 consists of vibration-damping materials or its composite material, and suppresses the remaining vibration of the armature in reset time so that any problem is not caused on responsiveness in the case that dots are formed continuously.
By controlling the series of operation timing through a controlling section 113, it becomes possible to form a character that is an aggregate of dots on the paper 111. Moreover, a clamp spring 119 is a member for making these parts a unit.
The former print head is composed like this.
Further, there is a print head in which a metal reinforcing plate is furnished between a lever holder for holding a lever (armature) and a fixing spring for fastening and holding a head structure member (for example, referring to patent document 1).
Patent document 1: Japan Utility Model Publication of No. 02-133345 (Page 1, FIG. 1)
However, in the former technology stated above, because the shape of the pressure spring that presses the rotation fulcrum of the armature is limited, there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain enough pressing force to completely prevent a lift of the rotation fulcrum of the armature.
The reason why the shape of the pressure spring is limited as stated above is that, because of mounting of the print head, it is difficult to strengthen the pressing force by broadening width through serving petal shaped leaf spring parts as cantilevers respectively. Further, when the pressing force is strengthened by increasing the plate thickness, it enters into a plastic range, and in the case that the irregular load is added, an appropriate pressing force cannot be assigned because the transformed shape does not return to the original one, and it causes the occurrence of the decline of the motion characteristics and the unevenness among the wire.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a print head that can solve the above problem. That is, a print head is supplied to prevent the lift of the rotation fulcrum of the armature.
An aspect of the invention is to provide a print head in which a print wire is furnished at an end portion, and that has an armature that is furnished rotatably, comprising: a yoke that touches a rotation fulcrum of the armature; an elasticity member of a cantilever structure that presses the rotation fulcrum of the armature to the yoke by sandwiching the armature between the yoke and the elasticity member; a housing that fixes an end portion of the elasticity member and that covers the elasticity member through forming a gap between the elasticity member and the housing; and a pressing member that is arranged between the housing and the elasticity member and that touches the housing and the elasticity member.
According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the lift of the rotation fulcrum of the armature.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments of a print head and a print apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail hereinbelow with reference to the drawings.
With respect to
The armature 4 is composed of compression spring and the like, is pressed to a limiter portion 7 through a reset spring 8 whose one end is fixed, and a wire 5 as a print wire is welded to the tip portion. As shown by
The wire 5 as respective printing elements is positioned through a wire guide 9 fixed in a guide nose 20 so that the tip forms a dot matrix, and a plurality of guides 18 fixed in the guide nose 20 suppress horizontal vibration and buckling of the wire 5.
The reset spring 8 stated above is furnished in a holder spring 24, and makes a pressing force act on the armature 4 to return to a standby position. Further, the armature 4 is pressed by a pressure spring 15 to the space yoke 25 surface and the armature yoke 16 surface through the touched space sheet 26, and the touched point becomes a rotation fulcrum 29 around which the armature 4 moves, and the armature 4 is formed rotatably.
The pressure spring 15 is a spring member (for example, leaf spring) with cantilever structure, one end portion is fixed on one surface of the housing 17, other end portion is furnished to touch the armature 4 as a free end, and is furnished so as to insert the armature 4 between the space yoke 25 and the armature yoke 16. Further, a bending portion that bends to an arbitrary angle so that the pressing force acts on the rotation fulcrum 29 of the armature 4 is generated in the pressure sprint 15.
The housing 17 sandwiches and fixes one end portion of the pressure spring 15 between the holder spring 24; generates a gap in the intermediate with the pressure spring 15; and covers the whole pressure spring 15.
Further, between the pressure spring 15 that presses the armature 4 and the housing 17, a pressure felt 40, as a pressing member composed of fiber body such as hard felt with small meshes of fiber and the like, is furnished to touch the pressure spring 15 and the housing 17, and through elasticity of the pressure felt 40, furthermore, pressed the pressure spring 15 on the armature 4.
After electric power is supplied from an electric source 12 to the coil 6 through a connector 23 on a head substrate 22, magnetic flux is generated in the magnetic path 21, the magnetic flux of the gap between the core 1 that is a part of the magnetic path 21 and the armature 4 acts as attracting force (electromagnetic force) to attract the armature 4 to the core 1 side.
Thus, the wire 5 joined with the armature 4 starts a motion to the direction of a platen 14, impacts on a paper 11 whose back is supported by the platen 14 through an ink ribbon 10, and forms a dot.
After supply of the electric power from the electric source 12 to the coil 6 is stopped, the attracting force is reduced, and when reaction force of the impact and the pressing force of the reset spring 8 to the armature 4 excel the influence of the attracting force, the armature 4 reverses the direction of the motion, and returns to the position of the limiter portion 7. The limiter portion 7 consists of vibration-damping materials or its composite material, and suppresses the remaining vibration of the armature 4 in reset time so that any problem is not caused on responsiveness in the case that dots are formed continuously.
By controlling the series of operation timing on the basis of a control program (software) stored in a storing section such as a memory and the like that is not shown through a controlling section 13 such as a central processing unit and the like, it becomes possible to form a character that is an aggregate of dots on the paper 11. Moreover, a clamp spring 19 is a member for making these parts a unit.
Here, it is to explain the pressure felt 40 on the basis of explanation diagrams showing a structure of a pressure felt in embodiment 1 of
In
In
Further, the pressure felt is soaked with lubricating oil with a good humidity property such as fluorine oil and the like. Furthermore, the space sheet 26 is composed of material with a good wear resistance such as stainless (metal), polyamide (polymer) and the like.
That is, there is a relation h+d<(h+Δ)+t, and it becomes Δ>d−t (backlash).
The Δ is an amount that the pressure felt 40 overlaps with the housing 17 and the pressure spring 15.
Thus, the print head, in which the pressure felt 40 is furnished between the pressure spring 15 and the housing 17, is mounted in a print apparatus such as an impact printer and the like.
It is to explain about the function of the structure stated above.
As shown by
Like this,
Further,
As shown by
Further, as shown by
As explained above, in the first embodiment, because the periphery tip parts of the pressure felt restrict rotation fulcrum of the armature in a bigger pressing force compared with the former example as shown by
Further, such effect is obtained that it is possible to reduce pressing wear of the rotation fulcrum portion of the armature together with sliding portions of the space sheet and the armature yoke those touch with the rotation fulcrum portion, which is caused by the minute vibration occurring in the rotation fulcrum portion of the armature.
Furthermore, because enough volume is made in the center parts of the pressure felt, it is possible to soak it with enough lubricating oil, and because the lubricating oil goes is supplied to a sliding surface between the armature and the pressure spring, the space sheet and the armature yoke through passing the periphery tip parts and it becomes boundary (liquid) lubrication, thus a wear resistance effect can be obtained.
Furthermore, because the pressure felt consists of small meshes of felt and the volume is made in its center parts, maintaining performance of the lubricating oil is good and it is possible to stably supply the lubricating oil over time. As a result, it is possible to reduce the wear of the sliding portions for a long time, and such effect is obtained that it is possible to make motion performance such as printing power, speed of the wire and the like stable for a long time and highly durable.
Further, because the pressure felt not only presses the armature through the pressure spring at the periphery tip parts, but also presses the pressure spring in the overlap amount Δ at the center parts, it is possible to absorb backlash between the pressure spring and the gap which is formed by the housing in which the pressure spring is entered and the holder spring, and such effect is obtained that it is possible to suppress unevenness of pressing forces among pins (wires) of the pressure spring and vibration (noise) accompanied by bad restraint.
It is to explain a structure of embodiment 2 on the basis of a section diagram showing a structure of an armature fulcrum portion in embodiment 2 of
The structure of embodiment 2 is constructed by deleting the space sheet 26 from the structure of embodiment 1 shown by
On the armature 4, non-electrolytic nickel boron plating process and the like may be performed generally, and non-electrolytic nickel boron plating process may also be performed.
Moreover, for the parts those are the same with the embodiment 1 stated above, the explanation is omitted by assigning the same marks.
It is to explain about the function of the structure stated above.
In the former example and the embodiment 1, the space sheet 26 as shown by
In the embodiment 2, because the space sheet 26 is deleted as shown by
Further, according to the non-electrolytic nickel boron plating process to the space yoke 25 and the armature yoke 16 that is performed instead of the space sheet 26, the surfaces of the space yoke 25 and the armature yoke 16 are hardened, and the friction force of the sliding surface with the armature 4 is reduced.
As explained above, in the second embodiment, in addition to the effect of the embodiment 1, such effect is obtained that it is possible to remove minute vibration that can be caused by the warp through poor processing and the like of the space sheet adopted in the embodiment 1 and it is possible to prevent the pressing wear caused by the minute vibration.
Further, because the friction force of the sliding surface between the armature and the space yoke or the armature yoke becomes small according to the non-electrolytic nickel boron plating process, such effect is obtained that it is possible to improve the motion characteristics such as the printing power and the speed of the wire and the like.
Furthermore, according to the low friction coefficient effect and the hardening effect of the non-electrolytic nickel boron plating, it is possible to reduce the wear amount of the space yoke and the armature yoke, and according to corrosion resistance, it is hard to be affected by corrosion (corrosive wear) such as salt damage and the like. Therefore, such effect is obtained that it is possible to make operation of the print head in the embodiment 1 more stable and highly durable.
Furthermore, because the welded parts of the space yoke, the armature yoke, the armature and the wire are not united with other members through adhesion, such effect is obtained that it is possible to maintain and change them per part in the case that these parts are affected by the wear.
It is to explain a structure of embodiment 3 on the basis of an explanation diagram showing a structure of a housing in embodiment 3 of
In the structure of embodiment 3, as shown by
Moreover, for the parts those are the same with the embodiment 1 and the embodiment 2 stated above, the explanation is omitted by assigning the same marks.
It is to explain about the function of the structure stated above.
Through forming the oil reservoir portion 50 as a concave closed space on the touching portion with the pressure felt 40 of the housing 17, it is possible to accumulate larger amount of lubricating oil than the amount absorbed in the pressure felt 40 by using the oil reservoir portion 50.
As shown by
As explained above, in the third embodiment, in addition to the effect of the embodiment 1 and the embodiment 2, through forming an oil reservoir portion, it is possible to increase total amount of the lubricating oil by accumulating larger amount of the lubricating oil than the amount absorbed in the pressure felt. Therefore, such effect is obtained that it is possible to lengthen the supply time of the lubricating oil to the sliding portions of the respective parts with the armature, furthermore, it is possible to make the print head highly durable.
The present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments but many modifications and variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the appended claims of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-208700 | Sep 2009 | JP | national |